On Saturday, March 7th, President Trump told accompanying journalists on Air Force One that progress in the United States’ war against Iran over the past week has been very smooth. He stated that after a week of conflict, Iran’s military power was “almost non-existent.” The President said that by the end of this war, Iran’s map could look completely different.
Trump expressed that the achievements made by the United States in the brief conflict exceeded everyone’s expectations, as they destroyed Iran’s military forces and leadership. He claimed that the United States has “destroyed” Iran’s navy, air force, and most of its missiles, hitting Iran at its core.
Furthermore, the President noted that while the Kurds were willing to join the fight to help the U.S., he did not want them to get involved in the war. When asked how long he expected the war to continue, Trump responded that he didn’t know but was prepared to do whatever it takes.
Trump added that he hadn’t seen any signs indicating that Russia was helping Iran. He stated that if Russia was indeed assisting Iran, then they were not doing a good job. The President suggested that the U.S. should select Iran’s next president himself, as he hoped to choose a leader who wouldn’t drag Iran into war.
He expressed a desire to be involved in selecting Iran’s next leader to avoid having to intervene every five to ten years. Trump emphasized that he was not seeking reconciliation with the current Iranian regime but rather hoped for its “unconditional surrender.”
When asked about the possibility of taking ground action in Middle Eastern countries, the U.S. leader indicated that, at present, he had no such plans, but if he deemed it necessary in the future, action could be taken.
Amid the escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran, Iran has been known to disseminate false information. Earlier on Saturday, Ali Larijani, Chairman of Iran’s National Security Council, claimed that Iran had captured American soldiers. However, a spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) quickly denied this claim.
Larijani stated that “some” American soldiers had been captured since the conflict erupted a week ago, without providing specific details on the number of captives or their situation. Subsequently, a CENTCOM spokesperson informed Al Jazeera Arabic, “The Iranian regime claiming to have captured American soldiers is yet another example proving their lies and deceit.”