Washington: US President Donald Trump has said American military action against Iran may not be over, while ruling out immediate talks with Tehran and claiming that the country has been left with limited capacity.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Iran was facing serious economic and military pressure after the latest confrontation.
“They’re not paying their troops. They’re in deep trouble,” Trump said.
He also said the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz should not be interpreted as an end to possible US military operations against Iran.
“They are in deep trouble, they have very little capacity, the strait of Ormuz is open, it doesn’t mean we finished with the military,” Trump said.
The president did not provide details about any further operation or explain what conditions could trigger additional US military action.
Trump also dismissed the possibility of immediate diplomatic talks with Tehran.
“There’s not a lot to speak with Iran, we are not looking to meet or anything, the strait is open,” he said.
His remarks indicated that Washington was not currently seeking negotiations despite the reopening of the strategic waterway.
Trump has repeatedly used a combination of military pressure, economic sanctions and threats of further action in dealing with Iran. His latest comments suggested that the administration was keeping its options open.
The president was also asked whether he would punish Russia if Moscow failed to reduce its relationship with Iran.
“It depends, I think Russia has behaved quite well- so far regarding the Strait of Ormuz,” Trump said.
He did not say what steps Russia had taken or whether Washington had received any commitments from Moscow regarding its dealings with Tehran.
Trump’s comments came amid continued questions about the security of commercial shipping and the movement of energy supplies through the region.
The president portrayed the reopening of the strait as a significant development but stopped short of declaring that the crisis had ended.
He also did not set out any conditions under which the United States would agree to meet Iranian officials.
The remarks represented a firm public position against immediate negotiations.
The president did not identify the Iranian units, facilities or capabilities to which he was referring.
Trump, however, said Russia had so far behaved “quite well” in relation to the Strait of Hormuz. He did not indicate whether this assessment extended to other areas of Russian-Iranian cooperation.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman and connects the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world’s most important energy routes, carrying oil and liquefied natural gas from major Gulf producers to international markets.
IANS
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