US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed to have effectively won the war with Iran, asserting that the Islamic Republic's military capabilities have been destroyed and Tehran is now seeking a negotiated settlement.
Speaking at the swearing‑in ceremony of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Trump said the US was currently engaged in talks with Iran and claimed the country was negotiating from a position of weakness. "We're in negotiations right now. I can tell you, they'd like to make a deal and who wouldn't if you were there? Look, their navy's gone, their air force is gone, their communications are gone. pretty much everything they have is gone," he said.
The US and Israel launched the war on Iran on Feb. 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and many senior political and military leaders. Iran responded with large scale missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries and shutting the narrow Strait of Hormuz.
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Trump said he was hopeful the negotiations would bring an end to the conflict, though he stopped short of offering a firm assurance. He claimed US forces had complete air superiority over Iranian territory and said the US could strike key infrastructure targets if it chose to do so. He added that Iran had been "militarily defeated".
The US President reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, saying Tehran had agreed to that condition during talks.
"We will have control of anything we want. If we can end this without more lives being lost, without knocking out $10 billion electric plants, that are brand new, the apple of their eye, I would like to be able to do that. They can't have certain things. It starts with no nuclear weapons, and they have agreed to that. There won't be any nuclear weapons. We are in about the best bargaining position. We are way ahead of schedule," he said.
Trump also referred to what he described as a significant "gesture" from Iran related to oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, interpreting it as a sign that talks were progressing. However, he said he did not trust Iran, stressing that caution would guide the negotiations.
He further claimed that Iran's leadership had been eliminated during the conflict, describing the situation as a change in regime, though he said the US would wait to see how the new leadership evolved.
The remarks come amid continued volatility in West Asia, even as diplomatic efforts intensify to prevent further escalation.
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