President Donald Trump stated that the US strikes on Iran in late February and the naval blockade imposed after Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz 'changed the balance of power in the Middle East in favor of the US,' according to a report from N12. He praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for their roles in reaching an agreement, while sharply criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying his strikes nearly collapsed the deal and calling him 'a very difficult person.'
President Donald Trump credited the US military campaign against Iran and the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz with dramatically altering the regional balance of power, according to a report from N12 published early Monday. Trump said the February strikes and the blockade, imposed after Iran shut the strait, 'changed the balance of power in the Middle East in favor of the US.'
Trump singled out Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for praise, crediting them with helping secure the eventual agreement. He then leveled harsh criticism at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing Israeli strikes of nearly causing the deal to collapse. 'He is a very difficult person,' Trump said of Netanyahu. 'And to be honest, he should be very grateful for what we did. Because if Iran had nuclear weapons, Israel wouldn't have lasted even two hours.'
The remarks come amid a volatile diplomatic and military landscape that has seen the US alternate between heavy strikes and negotiation efforts with Tehran, as well as a reported deterioration in relations between Trump and the Israeli premier. The Zioneer has previously reported on the strain between the two leaders, which has played out in public sparring over the pace and scope of military action against Iran.
3 developments
- StrongTrump to NYT: Netanyahu should be grateful — strikes nearly scuttled Iran deal
- DevelopingTrump says Netanyahu is a 'very tough man'; Iran claims ceasefire includes Lebanon
- StrongTrump reportedly preparing to immediately lift naval blockade on Iran
- DevelopingReport: Trump demands immediate, non-phased reopening of Strait of Hormuz and end to naval blockade
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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