Iran has been severely weakened by the US airstrikes and sanctions, and is in no position to resist US demands, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, expressing confidence that he can secure whatever he wants from Tehran if needed.
“We had tremendous success with Iran. They were not happy… They’re so bombed out. That place was decimated. It’ll be years before anyone can even get down there," Trump told reporters in Florida.
When asked about the possibility of the US signing a nuclear agreement with Tehran, Trump said "that’s not a priority" after the successful strikes.
"But we’ll get whatever we want, whatever we want from Iran,” he said.
“I think—and I hope—they want to have a good country. You know, they’re under massive sanctions right now. Biting sanctions. It’s very hard for them to do anything under those sanctions. I look forward to maybe a time when we can get along, and they can rebuild their country."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS News earlier, “I don’t think negotiations will restart as quickly as that... but the doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.”
US envoy Steve Witkoff previously said that talks with Iran are ongoing through both direct and indirect channels.
In his Tuesday remarks, Trump also said he will celebrate the success of the Iran operation when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the White House next week.
“It’s going to be a very quick celebration. We had a great hit—it was an obliteration.”
Trump praised the US military’s operation on the three nuclear sites and said those involved in the mission would be invited to the White House.
Iran, however, has rejected the notion that its nuclear program was destroyed, insisting that its knowledge and scientific capabilities remain intact.
“One cannot obliterate the technology and science of enrichment through bombings,” Araghchi said. “If the will exists on our part—and it does—we will be able to repair the damage and recover lost time quickly.”
Iran remains under international sanctions not only for its nuclear program, but also over its human rights record and its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
