ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - United States President Donald Trump said Sunday that restarting the war with Iran is “highly unlikely” if progress is achieved during negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while the US remains “ready” for military action as Iranian media reported unconfirmed US strikes on an island in the Strait of Hormuz.
“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” Trump told CNN during an interview on Sunday.
“The answer is highly unlikely it's going to be necessary. They’re a failing nation. It just came out, you say this year, 301% inflation. Highly unlikely it will be necessary. I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard. I hit them so hard. You don’t know how hard I hit them.”
Trump repeated the phrase “highly unlikely” five times during the 20 minute phone call with CNN.
Trump’s statement comes amid both wider tensions and ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
After the interview on Sunday, the state-run Iranian Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that four explosions were heard on Iran’s Qeshm island, though local and provincial sources have not yet commented on the matter.
The semi-official outlet Fars News Agency reported locals hearing the sound of multiple explosions in both Qeshm and Bandar Abbas, but it said the sounds were due “to the firing of warning shots at offending vessels in the Strait of Hormuz ” in reference to vessels that use routes Iran considers unauthorized. The outlet said no official statements have been released thus far.
The US has attacked Iran’s Qeshm island twice in the past week. On Friday, Trump described the latest attack as “minor”, targeting anti-craft systems.
Trump further clarified in Sunday’s interview that the US military was prepared for action.
“We’re ready for it. I’ve got three aircraft carriers here. The other one just arrived. We have three. They’re fully locked and loaded,” he said.
The President said US forces had identified infrastructure targets within Iran’s borders should military action demand it, including power plants and bridges.
Although Trump professed not to want to destroy infrastructure targets in the interview, he said that the US had 38 bridges in mind that could be eliminated “in literally one hour.”
Israeli Channel 13 reported that US Central Command (CENTCOM) has informed Israel that any strikes against Tehran will target power plants and bridges.
Trump had previously threatened to restart attacks on Iran after the midterm elections. The Republican Party’s significant loss earlier this week has been understood by Tehran as a reason for Trump to change tact.
Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, called for change in a post on X on Sunday.
“American voters have made their choice. Time for the White House to make its own,” Aragchi stated in reference to the Republican Party’s significant loss at the start of the week.
“Our 2-day proposal stands: meet the requirements, including end to war on all fronts, and you sell results,” Araghchi continued.
Tehran’s primary demands are that the Strait of Hormuz be reopened, financial sanctions be lifted, and hostilities against all Iran-backed forces as part of its regional “Resistance Axis” to cease.
The Strait of Hormuz has been a point of tension since the beginning of the US-Israeli war in February.
Both Washington and Tehran have imposed tit-for-tat restrictions on the vital waterway previously responsible for transporting a fifth of the world’s oil exports.
