US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that Iran wants to strike a deal with Washington 'badly,' while expressing uncertainty over Tehran's willingness to honour the deal. Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, Trump asserted victory over Iran 'militarily' and stated that the Islamic Republic has very 'little left.' He said that the Iranian leadership called to make a deal after US forces started conducting additional strikes against Tehran.
Trump's remarks on Iran's intentions
'We have already won militarily. They have very little left... They called a little while ago. They want to make a deal so badly. I just don't know if they're worthy of making a deal. I don't know that they're going to honour the deal,' Trump said. Answering a follow-up question regarding Iran's attack on commercial vessels, which raised questions over their willingness to reach an agreement, Trump said, 'They are sort of crazy... They're a little bit out of control. But they want to make a deal. Badly.'
US strikes and military posture
Further reflecting on the US strikes against Tehran, which the CENTCOM said were conducted to further degrade Tehran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump stated that the Islamic Republic was hit much harder, claiming a score of '20-1,' following recent attacks on commercial shipping and civilian crews. 'We just hit them very hard, and I say we hit them 20-to-1 -- every time they hit us, we're going to hit them 20... When they hit, we hit back much harder,' he said. Notably, the press onboard Air Force One were asked to shut the blinds next to their seats.
Security concerns and threats
Responding to questions regarding any credible threat by Iran against Air Force One, Trump said that he receives threats from Iran 'all the time' but did not confirm whether there was any renewed threat on Wednesday. 'Because you are probably on a dangerous flight. These (Iranians) are sick people. I have a threat all the time. I'm number one on their list. But if I go, you go. Perhaps, someday you might want to change professions,' he remarked.
Official statements and impact
His remarks come after US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday (local time) said its forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade Tehran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, following recent attacks on commercial shipping and civilian crews. In a post shared on X, US CENTCOM said, 'At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.' 'The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,' it added. Meanwhile, Iran's southern port city of Chabahar experienced power cuts after the United States announced another round of airstrikes against Iran, according to CNN, citing Iranian state media.
Iran's response
On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hit back at US President Donald Trump's remarks against Tehran earlier, saying derogatory comments against the Iranian people would not diminish their stature and asserting that Iran would respond through 'action' and courage. 'Addressing the Civilized and Courageous Nation of Iran with derogatory language does not diminish its Greatness. Iranians are known for their civility, culture, and strong moral values,' Araghchi said in a post on X. 'We do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valor,' he added.
