The United States President, Mr. Donald Trump has declared that the war against Iran is “very complete” and progressing faster than expected, with the US and Israel significantly weakening Iran’s military capabilities.
Trump also revealed he has someone in mind to lead Iran, sparking concerns about US interference in the country’s internal affairs.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, reportedly Mojtaba Khamenei, won’t “last long” without Trump’s approval, the US president was quoted as saying.
In an interview with CBS News, Trump suggested that the military campaign by the United States and Israel had significantly weakened Iran’s capabilities.
“I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force,” Trump told CBS News.
The face-off started on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting retaliatory strikes by Tehran against Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases.
The war has reportedly killed dozens in Iran, including its longtime supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Following his death, Iran appointed his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader — a development that has drawn criticism from Washington.
When asked about the new Iranian leader, Trump said he had no message for him.
“I have no message for him,” Trump said of Mojtaba Khamenei.
“I have someone in mind to lead Iran,” the U.S. president said, without providing further details about the person.
Meanwhile, Trump’s statement reinforces earlier statements in which he indicated that Washington should have a role in determining Iran’s future leadership — a suggestion that authorities in Tehran have firmly rejected.
The U.S. president also told CBS News that the military campaign is progressing faster than he initially predicted.
Trump said the United States is “very far” ahead of his earlier estimated timeline of four to five weeks for the conflict.
The war has also disrupted global energy markets, particularly around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints.
Roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments typically pass through the narrow waterway.
