The United States President Donald Trump has said that Iran should forget about having a nuclear weapon following Wednesday ballistic missiles fired by Iran to the US airbase in Iraq.
He announced this in a nation’s address at the White House, Washington DC, emphasizing that his administration will hit Iran with new sanctions in the wake of its attack on two Iraqi military bases housing US troops, as well as in response to its broader aggression in the region.
“As long as I’m President of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.”
“The very defective JCPOA expires shortly, anyway, and gives Iran a clear and quick path to nuclear breakout. Iran must abandon its nuclear ambitions and end its support for terrorism,” Trump said.
Trump further called on other allies to “break away” from the deal.
“The US will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime,” Trump added.
He noted that his administration is continuing to review other options to respond to the Iranian missile strikes.
“These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior,” Trump maintained. “In recent months alone, Iran has seized ships in international waters, fired an unprovoked strike on Saudi Arabia and shot down two American drones.”
President Trump ended his remarks on the Iran crisis, which lasted about 10 minutes, with a message to the people of Iran.
“Finally, to the people and leaders of Iran, we want you to have a future and a great future, one that you deserve,” Trump said. “One of prosperity at home and harmony with the nations of the world.
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Trump said that since he took office “America has achieved energy independence.”
“We are now the No. 1 producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world. We are independent and we do not need Middle East oil.”
President Trump criticized the Iran nuclear deal as “very defective.”
Iran announced Wednesday it was partially withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.
“We must all work together toward making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place,” he said.
Trump described the Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani killed in a US strike last week as “the world’s top terrorist.”
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“He trained terrorist armies, including Hezbollah, launching terrorist strikes against civilian targets. He fueled bloody civil wars all across the region. He viciously wounded and murdered thousands of US troops, including the planting of roadside bombs that maim and dismember their victims.”
Trump said Soleimani directed the recent attacks on US personnel in Iraq that “badly wounded four service members and killed one American” and he orchestrated “the violent assault” on the US Embassy on Baghdad.
“In recent days he was planning new attacks on American targets, but we stopped him,” Trump said.
President Trump said US forces are “prepared for anything,” but for now, “Iran appears to be standing down.”
“Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world,” Trump said.
Trump said, “No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime.”
“We suffered no casualties. All of our soldiers are safe and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases.”
“The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it,” Trump concluded. He did not take questions as he left the room.
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