President Donald Trump said Monday night that the US will cripple Iran with full force, a shift from his earlier 'defeat' wording, while noting that friendly talks are underway and 'we'll see how it ends.'
President Donald Trump said Monday night at 23:07 Jerusalem that the US will 'cripple Iran with full force,' adding that 'friendly talks are underway' and 'we'll see how it ends.' The remark marks a shift in wording from his earlier statement at 22:40, when he said the US would 'defeat Iran with full force' and claimed Iran is 'pleading for the siege to end,' as The Zioneer reported.
The 23:07 statement is the latest in a series of Trump comments on Iran this evening. At 20:40, Trump said there is a 'good chance' the Iran talks will yield results, as The Zioneer reported. At 22:40, he escalated the rhetoric with the 'defeat' pledge and described the talks as 'very friendly.' The new statement continues the pattern of mixing military threats with diplomatic openness, though with a more measured verb ('cripple' vs 'defeat').
The comments come as the US and Iran are engaged in intensive negotiations that Trump has described as being in an 'almost final stage,' as The Zioneer reported on June 11. The US maintains a '100% blockade' on Iran while pursuing a diplomatic track, a strategy Trump has termed 'negotiating under fire.' Israel has been in close consultation with Washington, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking with Trump earlier this month to outline Jerusalem's red lines, including the removal of all enriched material and dismantling of Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
The venue and exact timing of Trump's latest remarks were not specified in the report. The status of the talks remains unclear, with Trump saying 'we'll see how it ends.'
3 developments
- DevelopingTrump: 'We will defeat Iran, whether pleasantly or some other way'
- DevelopingTrump confirms meeting with Iran, says US 'pretty much destroyed' its military
- StrongTrump says the US is disabling Iran's missile capability, eyeing a fair deal
- DevelopingTrump says US is suppressing Iran's offensive capabilities, sees possibility of a deal
Source and signal
- Open-source intake