President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that the United States conducted military strikes against Iran for three consecutive nights in response to attacks on commercial shipping. In an interview with CNBC's Joe Kernen, Trump detailed the destruction of Iranian radar systems and the escorting of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard global energy supplies.
Destruction of Iranian Radar Systems
Trump said, "We blew up Iran's radar; they had no radar, they still don't. We blew it up again the other night. They had a nice new radar; they were all set to go, and we blew it up last week. They have to start all over again for a third time." When asked if the US was prepared for further action, Trump replied, "We have all the assets."
Naval Blockade as a 'Wall of Steel'
Trump described the US naval blockade as "a wall of steel." He stated, "I did a blockade that was essentially not a blockade; it was a wall of steel. We have the great Navy, the greatest navy in the world. These guys are unbelievable. Not one ship got through to Iran."
Impact on Iran's Economy
Trump claimed Iran's economy had been severely weakened, citing "300 per cent inflation" and that they are "making no money." He added that the US hopes to eventually export food commodities to Iran, saying, "They need food. They need corn, wheat, and soybeans, and we're going to have exclusively our American farmers provide that. Assuming we get to the position where we should get to."
Rejection of Media Reports
Rejecting media reports that Iran was in a stronger position, Trump said, "The New York Times said the other day that Iran is in a better position now than it was four months ago." He countered, "I said, wait a minute, their military is gone. Their inflation is up to 300 per cent from 5 per cent. Their leaders are gone. Their second row of leaders is gone. Some of their third row of leaders are gone. Their generals are mostly wiped out."
Avoiding Closure of the Strait of Hormuz
Trump explained that his administration avoided closing the Strait of Hormuz due to the impact on global oil markets. He said, "If I want to be the tough guy and close up the Strait for the next few years, where 20 per cent or 21 per cent of the oil never comes out, and you can't get oil anymore, oil will be USD 350 a barrel, and there'll be a depression." Instead, the US Navy quietly escorted tankers through the southern approach, with Trump stating, "Every night, we were taking ships out through the South, which is the furthest point from where they have their little weapons, and they were going along the coast with no lights for a month and a half." He added, "We had one night where we took 22 ships out. That's a lot of oil." Trump claimed, "Our Navy took them out. We escorted them out, and nobody knew. The lights were off, everything was off, everything was silent."
