Trump: Iran Severely Weakened Militarily After Attacking First; Dropped Hormuz Tariff After Gulf Investment Offer

During a press conference in the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Iran’s military power was drastically struck by U.S. actions. He made this statement in the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, underscoring that the responsibility for tensions lies with Tehran, which initiated the first aggressive moves.

According to him, the American offensive has caused significant damage to the Islamic Republic’s military arsenal. “In my opinion, what we have done to Iran is strip it of almost all its combat capabilities,” the head of the White House emphasized.

Trump revealed that his administration’s initial effort had aimed at the diplomatic route. “I wanted to offer them an opportunity to negotiate a deal. However, they struck first. It was a fatal mistake to attack us, because our response was ruthless. These are extremely stubborn people,” he added.

Another important topic discussed was the president’s withdrawal from the proposal to apply a 20 percent tax on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. He spoke clearly against the idea. “I don’t think we should impose tariffs on ships for passing through the Strait of Hormuz. No one should do that,” Trump declared.

He explained that the change of stance came after a conversation with leaders of Gulf countries. They presented an alternative plan involving massive financial commitments. “They told me: ‘We would prefer to act in another way. We want to invest in the United States with billions and billions of dollars,'” the president recounted, concluding that in principle he is not a proponent of imposing such duties.