US President Donald Trump has claimed that the US has destroyed Iran’s nuclear sites. He said that even one or two of Iran’s remaining nuclear sites could be targeted in just 10 minutes. Trump made the statement while speaking to reporters during a Halloween party at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
Trump said that we have destroyed their nuclear facilities. “There are still one or two spots we need to check, but we can do that in 10 minutes.” His statement came at a time when Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned the US that any future threat would be retaliated against and Iran’s counter-attack would not be limited to any geographical boundaries.
Khamenei reportedly said in a meeting with military officials that any level of threat from the US would be responded to immediately. According to Iranian state media, it has also instructed the US and Israel to draw up a new list of potential targets. Mujtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since the war began in February this year.
Trump’s response to the question of resuming war with Iran
When Trump was asked if the US could start another war against Iran this week, he dismissed the question as silly. He said, “Even if I did, would I tell you?” Trump reiterated that Iran will never have nuclear weapons. It was also claimed that Tehran wants to deal with America.
However, Trump also said that he has no confidence in Iran. He said Iran compromises and then backs down. Earlier talks between the US and Iran were mediated by countries like Pakistan, Qatar and Oman, but no permanent agreement could be reached due to mistrust between the two countries.
In June, the two countries agreed to a 60-day memorandum of understanding and a framework for moving forward with the ceasefire. However, the agreement soon fell apart due to disagreements over issues such as the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran hailed Vance’s letter as a victory
On one hand, Trump is claiming that Iran has shown willingness to talk, while Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, has called the recent letter from US Vice President JD Vance a victory for Iran. The letter was handed over to Rezaei, who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
“There has been a complete change in their tone, which is a good sign and shows that our people have achieved victory,” Rezaei told Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB. However, he also clarified that he did not respond to Vance’s letter. He also did not share details of the conversation in the letter.
According to a report in the New York Times, Vance’s letter proposes direct talks with Iran under his leadership. From the beginning, it has been called for Iran’s nuclear program to be included in the discussion.
At the same time, a Wall Street Journal report, citing sources, said that the letter outlined the conversation. He was sent on the directive of US President Donald Trump. Al Jazeera, citing sources, also said that a meeting between Iranian and American officials could be held in Doha or Istanbul within a week of receiving Vance’s letter.
In February, the conflict started between America, Israel and Iran
The conflict between the two sides started in February this year after the attack on Iran by the US and Israel. The then Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei was killed in these attacks. He was the father of Mujtaba Khamenei. In response, Iran targeted American interests and military bases in the Gulf countries. Also, the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz was stopped.
Now, on the one hand, Trump is claiming the ability to re-target Iran’s nuclear sites, while Mujtaba Khamenei has warned of retaliation beyond geographical boundaries. In such a situation, despite the possibility of dialogue between the two countries, the tension remains.
