U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the United States should never have become involved in either Iraq or Iran. At the same time, he argued that without timely American military action, Iran would now possess nuclear weapons and the situation in the Middle East would be dramatically different.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump outlined his views on Iran and his plans for future policy. Referring to the Iraq War, he said, “Look at what happened with Iraq. We did a very bad job. What we did was an incredibly foolish thing. In any case, we should never have been there in the first place. We should not have been in Iran either.”
However, Trump defended recent U.S. military actions, claiming that they prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “If we had not struck them with B-2 bombers nine months ago, they would have nuclear weapons today. The situation would be completely different. Israel probably would not exist, and the Middle East would not be what it is today,” he said.
Trump also asserted that the United States deliberately avoided carrying out a full-scale destruction of Iran’s military during the conflict. “We largely left their military alone because we believe there are some moderate forces within it. Those who were not moderate—we removed only that kind of leadership,” he said.
He added that wars often create situations in which an entire national structure is destroyed, leaving countries unable to recover for decades. According to Trump, the United States did not want to pursue that path.
Discussing a possible agreement with Iran, Trump said he is in no rush to reach a final deal with Tehran. “When you rush, you don’t get a good agreement. Iran’s leadership is extremely tough to negotiate with. But slowly and surely, we are achieving our objectives,” he said.
Trump expressed confidence that the United States and Iran would eventually reach a “great deal.” However, he warned that Washington is prepared to pursue alternative options if negotiations fail.
“If we cannot make a deal, we will go back and finish the matter militarily,” he said. Nevertheless, he emphasized that he prefers a peaceful resolution because it would “save many lives.”
Trump also stated that if an agreement is signed, the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz could be reopened quickly. The waterway plays a crucial role in global energy supplies and international trade.
