Trump’s comments come amid heightened tensions in West Asia following the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which began after coordinated strikes on February 28.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the United States was destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, and it was a great honour to do so.”We are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise, yet, if you read the Failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think that we are not winning. Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth. We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time – Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he posted.
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During the interview, Trump also addressed speculation surrounding Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed the position after the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a strike on Tehran on February 28.
“I think he probably is [alive]. I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form,” Trump said, referring to reports about Mojtaba’s health after recent attacks.
The remarks follow growing speculation about the Iranian leader’s condition after reports suggested he may have been injured during US-Israeli strikes that targeted a compound in Tehran and killed his father. Iranian state media on Thursday (March 12) carried a statement attributed to Mojtaba amid rumours about his health.
In the message addressed to the Iranian public, Mojtaba said Iran would continue its fight and avenge those killed in the conflict. “We will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs,” the statement said.
Trump also claimed that before the conflict escalated, Iran had positioned a large number of missiles targeting several countries in West Asia.
“Iran had thousands of missiles pointed at all these West Asia countries for the last four months,” he said.
According to Trump, Tehran had plans to assert regional dominance over Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
“All these nations were afraid of Iran, and they are not anymore. But they had reason to be afraid. We have knocked the hell out of them as no other nation could, and they still have remnants left,” Trump said.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most vital oil transit routes, carrying a significant share of global crude shipments. Any disruption to traffic through the narrow passage typically raises concerns about global energy supplies and shipping security.
