US President Donald Trump has claimed that it would only take two weeks to hit “every single target” in Iran, adding that the Islamic republic was “militarily defeated.”
In an interview with independent journalist Sharyl Attkisson recorded last week and aired on Sunday local time, he also called NATO a “paper tiger” and accused Washington’s allies of failing to assist in the campaign against Tehran.
The comments come as Iran is reported to have responded to the latest US proposal on ending a conflict that began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
“They’re militarily defeated. In their own minds, maybe they don’t know that. But I think they do,” Mr Trump said in the interview, before adding: “That doesn’t mean they’re done.”
He suggested the US military could “go in for two more weeks and do every single target.
We have certain targets that we wanted, and we’ve done probably 70 per cent of them, but we have other targets that we could conceivably hit.”
“But even if we didn’t do that, you know, that would just be final touches,” Mr Trump said.
Meanwhile, Qatar has reacted angrily to an apparent drone attack on a commercial vessel in its territorial waters as tensions continue to plague the Strait of Hormuz.
The strike happened on Sunday, northeast of Mesaieed Port, which is near the city Doha.
A cargo ship, which had originated in Abu Dhabi, was hit, causing a fire, which thankfully didn’t injure anyone on board.
It comes after the United Kingdom announced it is sending a naval destroyer to the Middle East as part of “prudent planning” for a British and French-led coalition to facilitate shipping in the strait once a durable ceasefire is reached.
The British defence ministry said HMS Dragon, “one of the most advanced warships in the world”, would strengthen the confidence of commercial vessels and support mine clearance.
We await any substantive progress on talks between the US and Iran.
Read on for more updates
