Kentucky: US President Donald Trump on Saturday expressed confidence that the ongoing war with Iran would end “very quickly”, claiming that the end of hostilities would bring down fuel prices for American consumers.
Addressing supporters at a rally in Kentucky, Trump linked the outcome of the conflict to domestic petrol prices, saying fuel costs would fall below pre-war levels once military operations ended.
“It’s going to end very quickly. When it ends, your gas prices are going to be lower than what they were before,” Trump said.
During his speech, Trump revisited previous US military strikes against Iranian targets, describing them as necessary to counter Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. He claimed the operations had severely damaged Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“You know, when I did the little excursion to the Islamic, the beautiful Islamic Republic of Iran, we beat the shit out of them. But when I did that excursion, we knocked out their nuclear capacity,” Trump told the rally.
Defending the decision to strike Iran, Trump said preventing the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained a priority for US national security.
“Somebody said, ‘Oh, well, was it worth it?’ I said, ‘They cannot have a nuclear weapon; they can’t, because they’ll use it,’” he added.
Iran calls for an end to hostilities on all fronts
Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said ending hostilities across all fronts was essential to achieving lasting peace in the region. He warned that continued fighting in any part of the region would prolong the wider conflict.
According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, which cited Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television network, Khatibzadeh said Tehran remained committed to ending Israel’s war on Lebanon. He claimed that this objective was covered by the memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and the United States in Islamabad in mid-June.
Khatibzadeh said Lebanon had been among the key issues discussed by Tehran and Washington and that he had sought to bring the two sides closer during his visit to Beirut.
The Iranian official arrived in the Lebanese capital on Wednesday for talks with local leaders. He described the discussions as “good” and confirmed meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and representatives of the Foreign Ministry.
He insisted that Israel must end its military campaign in Lebanon and the Levant, arguing that developments on the two fronts were closely linked.
Khatibzadeh also accused Washington and Tel Aviv of violating the Islamabad memorandum through strikes on Iran and Lebanon. He said US efforts to secure a ceasefire and end Israel’s war on Lebanon had stalled, adding that Washington was responsible for ensuring its ally complied with any agreement.
Tehran rejects US claims about its nuclear capabilities
Khatibzadeh described the US war against Iran as unlawful under international law and said Washington had failed to eliminate Iran’s air defences or its ability to deter attacks. He said Tehran had endured what he described as an existential war and would continue to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On Iran’s nuclear programme, the deputy foreign minister said Tehran was prepared to address questions raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United States. He cited more than 15 IAEA reports that, according to him, supported Iran’s position that its nuclear programme was peaceful and that it had complied with its obligations.
Iran has also proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if Washington accepts its conditions, Iranian officials have said. The proposal is linked to broader demands concerning the conflict and the terms of an agreement between the two countries.
(With inputs from agencies)
