Washington: President Donald Trump has warned Iran that US forces could “bring them back to the Stone Ages” within weeks if no deal is reached, declaring the country’s military “decimated” after a month of sustained strikes.
In a televised address on Wednesday (Local time), Trump said it had been “just one month since the United States military began Operation Epic Fury targeting the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, Iran,” claiming rapid battlefield gains.
“Tonight, Iran’s Navy is gone. Their Air Force is in ruins. Their leaders… are now dead,” he said, adding that Iran’s missile and drone capabilities had been “dramatically curtailed” and weapons facilities “blown to pieces.”
He framed the campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “I have vowed that I would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, calling the regime “the most violent and thuggish regime on Earth.”
Referring to earlier US strikes, he said, “We totally obliterated those nuclear sites,” citing “Operation Midnight Hammer,” and claimed Iran had attempted to rebuild its programme elsewhere.
Trump said US objectives were to dismantle Iran’s military capacity and its ability to project power beyond its borders. “These core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” he said.
He warned of further escalation if negotiations fail.
“Over the next two to three weeks, we’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages,” he said, adding that the US could target Iran’s electric infrastructure if no agreement is reached.
While stating that regime change was not the stated goal, Trump suggested leadership shifts had already taken place. “Regime change was not our goal… but regime change has occurred because of all of their original leaders’ deaths,” he said.
The President blamed Iran for recent increases in global oil prices, saying they were caused by “deranged terror attacks against commercial oil tankers.” He urged countries dependent on Middle Eastern oil to secure shipping routes and reduce reliance on the region.
He praised regional allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain, saying they had been “great” partners in the campaign.
Trump also highlighted US economic resilience, saying the country was the “number one producer of oil and gas on the planet” and could absorb disruptions linked to the conflict.
He acknowledged the loss of 13 American service members, saying their families had urged him to “finish the job.”
Framing the operation as historically swift, Trump said the campaign had already neutralised a major threat in just over a month. “We are on the cusp of ending Iran’s sinister threat to America and the world,” he said.
(IANS)
