“Finished Epic Fury.” In an unexpected announcement, the head of US diplomacy indicates the new priority of the US
The United States has ended the phase of offensive military operations against Iran, the head of American diplomacy, Marco Rubio, said on Tuesday, reiterating the statements made before Congress almost a month after the establishment of the fragile truce between Washington and Tehran, write AFP and CNN.
“The operation is over. Epic Fury, as the president briefed Congress — we're done with that stage,” Rubio said during a White House news conference.
The US Secretary of State suggested that the US priority now is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Now we're moving on to this Project Freedom,” Rubio continued, referring to Trump's initiative to have the U.S. military protect commercial ships passing through the strait.
The White House notified Congress last week that hostilities against Iran had been “ended,” as the 60-day threshold that would have required formal authorization from lawmakers had been reached.
However, US President Donald Trump has not ruled out resuming the bombing campaign if negotiations fail or if Iran violates the current truce.
Questions related to Iran's nuclear program — including its stockpile of highly enriched uranium — will be resolved through negotiations, Rubio said.
“In terms of the negotiations, I think the president has been clear: part of the negotiation process has to be about not only uranium enrichment, but also the fate of this material that is hidden somewhere,” added the head of American diplomacy.
“I don't want to jeopardize the negotiations, but suffice it to say that the president and his entire team are aware of the central importance of this issue, and it will have to be addressed one way or another,” the secretary of state said on Tuesday.
Trump calls on Iran to 'fly the white flag of surrender'
Also on Tuesday, Donald Trump ridiculed Iran's military capability and claimed that Tehran “should wave the white flag of surrender” but that it was too proud to do so.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump reiterated that, in private contacts and contrary to public statements made by Iranian officials, Tehran would like to make a deal with the US.
“They're bluffing, but let me tell you, they want to make a deal. And who wouldn't, when their military is completely gone?” the White House leader said, quoted by Reuters and Agerpres.
Trump also praised the US blockade of Iranian ports. “This is like a piece of steel. No one will dare challenge the blockade. And I think it works very well,” the American president also claimed.
When asked what Iran would have to do for the US to consider the truce violated, Trump vaguely replied: “Well, you're going to find out, because I'm going to tell you.”
Instead, the Iranians “know what not to do” and “should wave the white flag of surrender”, the US president also said.
