US President Donald Trump has again warned that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, describing the country’s leaders as “very violent” and “evil” during an interview with Fox News on Sunday.
Trump said preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a key priority for his administration.
“You cannot let them have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
The US president also claimed that Iran could have used nuclear weapons against Israel and caused widespread destruction across the Middle East if his administration had not intervened.
Trump went further, arguing that his administration had prevented the possible destruction of Israel and a broader regional catastrophe.
“If I weren’t president, Israel would be gone. There would be no Israel. And there would probably be no Middle East,” Trump said.
He suggested that the consequences could eventually have extended beyond the region, potentially putting the United States and Europe at risk.
Trump also praised the impact of the US blockade and the military pressure being placed on Iran.
He claimed American forces were hitting Iran harder than ever before and described the campaign as an “unbelievable” success.
However, Trump said he was surprised when Iran began attacking countries in the Gulf at the beginning of the conflict.
Trump Accuses Democrats of Wanting US to Lose
The president described Iran as a “failing nation” and accused his political opponents of wanting the United States to lose its ongoing conflicts with Iran and Venezuela.
Trump maintained that Washington was instead “absolutely winning easily.”
He said Iran’s decision to expand attacks to Gulf countries shocked governments around the world and contributed to Tehran losing international support.
“Everybody was shocked,” Trump said, referring to the escalation beyond the conflict’s initial boundaries.
