Trump Expresses Dual Stance on Iran: Seeks Deal While Threatening Military Action
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, U.S. President Donald Trump stated in an interview with Fox News that negotiations with Tehran are ongoing. Simultaneously, he expressed a desire to “occupy” the island of Kharg, stating, “We haven’t hit Iran hard enough yet.”
In the same media discussion, the U.S. President, in a move that contradicted his earlier statements, reiterated the prospect of an agreement with Iran, saying, “I am not discouraged about Iran, and this deal is good and can be the biggest deal in history.”
Trump repeated past claims against the Islamic Republic of Iran, asserting that the United States is “destroying” Iranians and that Iran lacks naval, air, and air defense forces. These claims are made despite Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz through these very forces, a strait which the United States and its allies have failed to reopen. Furthermore, just two days prior, a U.S. helicopter was reportedly shot down by Iranian air defense, an incident acknowledged by Donald Trump.
Trump further claimed that U.S. aircraft are flying over Tehran’s airspace and threatened severe bombing if Iran fails to sign an agreement. Political observers suggest that Trump’s recurring “carrot and stick” strategy and threats against Iran are unlikely to compel Iranian negotiators into making concessions, as Tehran remains determined to leverage its military and geopolitical advantages gained during a 40-day conflict for political gains.
Without referencing U.S. actions in countries like Venezuela, Canada, Denmark, China, and Russia, Trump claimed Iranians are “very arrogant” and have been “bullying” in the Middle East for 47 years. He reiterated claims about Iran’s military capabilities, stating that most of Iran’s radars, air defense systems, and missiles have been destroyed, with remaining capabilities not exceeding 20 percent.
He also threatened to target Iran’s infrastructure, stating, “Bridges are the next target of our attacks, but I don’t want to do this because when I do, people suffer.” In a stark contradiction to his threats, Trump added, “I want to make a deal with Iran now.”
Acknowledging U.S. arms support for anti-Iran militant groups, Trump said, “We sent weapons to Iranian protesters, but we were very disappointed with the Kurds because they did not deliver the weapons to the protesters.” He reiterated his threat regarding bridges, stating, “Bridges are the next target of our attacks, but I don’t want to do this because if I do, people suffer.” He added, “People in Iran can’t drink water and I don’t want that to happen!”
Trump repeated his contradictory statements, saying, “The Iran issue is over, and we can bring our troops home tomorrow, but I don’t want to deploy ground forces.” He also stated, “I’d rather take over Kharg Island, but I’m not sure we have the will to do it.”
