Asserting his stance, President Donald Trump has stated that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon during his tenure, in response to the recent events involving the Islamic Republic. This comes as his administration appeared to suggest a non-military reaction to Iran following its missile attacks on US airbases on Tuesday night.
Tehran retaliated for the US drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by firing over a dozen ballistic missiles at the Ayn al Asad airbase and Erbil base in Iraq where American troops are stationed.
Responding to the situation, Trump confirmed that no American lives were lost during the Iranian attack and indicated his readiness to engage in negotiations with Iran for peace instead of war.
During a White House press conference, Trump announced plans to impose additional economic sanctions on Iran, urged European support for the maximum pressure campaign on Iran, called for increased involvement from NATO in Middle East peace, and highlighted the possession of new hypersonic weapons by the US military.
Reiterating his stance, Trump stated, “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon as long as I’m president,” and expressed satisfaction at the apparent de-escalation of the situation. He emphasized the need for Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions and cease support for terrorism, calling for collective efforts towards reaching a deal that promotes global safety and peace.
Trump defended the decision to eliminate Soleimani, describing him as having blood on his hands from both American and Iranian sources, and emphasizing that his termination should have occurred sooner.
Soleimani, whose death has heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, was a prominent figure in Iranian and Middle Eastern politics, leading the Quds special forces unit of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. His killing exacerbated existing tensions following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.