Trump cites nuclear threat, signals Iran end game

WASHINGTON, (IANS): US President Donald Trump on Monday defended the war with Iran, saying it is aimed at stopping Tehran from getting nuclear weapons and could end quickly if conditions are met.?

“They're foolish, because the war is about one thing, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters at the White House.?

He said the conflict could end soon if Iran complies with US demands. “Well, it could end very quickly, the war, if they do what they have to do. They have to do certain things,” he said.?

Trump linked the current war to his earlier decision to exit the Obama-era nuclear deal. “Had we not broken the Barack Hussein Obama agreement… Israel would have been gone, extinguished,” he said.?

He also claimed US actions had reshaped Iran’s leadership. “We've had total regime change… The first regime was taken out. The second regime was taken out,” Trump said, adding that the current group negotiating with Washington is “much more reasonable.”?

Trump said talks with Iran were being held “in good faith” and described the current interlocutors as “not as radicalized.”?

At the same time, he struck a hard tone on military operations. “Because we are obliterating that country. And I hate to do it, but we're obliterating,” he said.?

He said Iran’s military capacity had been largely degraded. “They can't fight back. They have no capability… they have some missiles left. They have some drones left, but essentially, they have no capability,” Trump said.?

The president also pointed to a recent mission to rescue two downed US pilots in Iran as a sign of US military strength. “What we did yesterday is we picked up not one, we picked up two,” he said.?

Trump said the US still has multiple options. “We could leave right now, and it would take them 15 years to rebuild what they have… but I want to finish it up,” he said.?

He reiterated that the war is tied to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power. “Iran is ready to not have a nuclear weapon… " You can't put nuclear weapons in the hands of a lunatic,” Trump said.