During a press conference in Ankara on Wednesday, President Donald Trump stated he does not believe a large-scale conflict with Iran will reignite following recent military attacks from both sides. “I don’t think it will start again. I believe that everything will end very quickly. They hit a few ships, so we hit them much harder,” Trump explained after the NATO summit.
He further asserted that any developments would lead to enhanced security, particularly regarding oil. When asked why he could not end the war, Trump described the ongoing conflict as “an extraordinary military success,” asserting that Iran would not obtain nuclear weapons.
Trump reiterated his claim that Tehran desires an agreement but struggles to navigate the situation. He stressed that he is a key target of the Iranian leadership, saying, “They had leaders, they disappeared. They had another generation of leaders, they disappeared. Now they have another generation that might disappear, too. And you know what? I might disappear too. I am at the top of Iran’s kill list,” he remarked.
Trump’s Warning to Iran
Earlier the same day at the NATO summit, Trump warned Iran that the United States is likely to launch new strikes following attacks that occurred the previous day. “I will give a little warning: we will hit them hard this evening,” he told reporters before meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
In earlier statements, Trump declared that the memorandum of understanding that initially served as a ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran had ended. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. I do not want to negotiate with them because they are garbage. They’re sick people, led by sick, evil, violent people. If they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it,” he stated alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
He dismissed the idea of negotiating with Iran as a waste of time, claiming, “They lie. We agreed, there will be no nuclear weapons. They speak to the press and say they never talked about it. What is wrong with them? They are crazy,” he added.
Despite his strong statements, Trump did not explicitly state that Washington would return to large-scale warfare, leaving it unclear whether negotiations aimed at transforming the armistice into a permanent agreement would continue. “I don’t know if we’ll reach an agreement. We might act even without an agreement,” he said before his meeting with Zelenskiy.
Trump’s comments followed a series of recent attacks between Iran and the United States, which have raised oil prices sharply. Iran reported attacking U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait after U.S. forces targeted Iranian positions in retaliation for strikes on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The resurgence of hostilities has heightened security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz, which is a crucial supply route for the global economy. Shipping data indicated that at least four oil tankers and gas transport ships turned back instead of attempting to navigate the vital waterway.
