‘Essentially controlling the straits’: Trump reiterates military destruction of Iran

WASHINGTON: As tensions continue to escalate between the US and Iran, with the conflict dragged on for months, President Trump reiterated the claims of destruction of Tehran’s military infrastructure, while also reiterating the stance for Iran not to acquire nuclear weapons.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with 77 WABC, whose excerpts were shared by RapidResponse47 in a post on X. He said, “We’re (USA) essentially controlling and soon will be controlling the straits. We’re doing very well with Iran… The Navy’s gone, the Air Force is gone, the leadership is gone.”

Trump further went on to underline that due to the deaths of key members of the Iranian leadership, the talks on the deal have been tough. “Part of the problem is that so many of the leaders are gone; it’s not easy to make a deal. Nobody knows who’s leading. But I think the public sees what we’re doing because Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”

.@POTUS on Iran: “We had no choice, and I would’ve done it again 100 times. They cannot have a nuclear weapon — and they won’t be having a nuclear weapon.” pic.twitter.com/4f2wdYsuj1

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 21, 2026

Terming American action “very effective”, he said that Washington has wiped off Iran’s military and added, “Now they have some missiles. They have some drones. Their capacity to build them is very low right now compared to what it was five months ago.”

Trump also claimed that Iran’s economy was in a difficult situation, citing high inflation and a severely weakened currency. “It’s very hard for them to knock out anything. They’re in bad shape. have inflation that’s 300 % there. Their currency is virtually valueless. The military is not being paid. And so they’re in bad shape.”

Trump said the US military action against Iran was necessary to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon, and maintained that he would make the same decision again. “The key that the reason I did it was that we had no choice, and I would have done it again, a hundred times. They cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t be having a nuclear weapon.”

His latest remarks come on the heels of the announcement of the “most crushing economic operation ever taken” against Iran, warning that countries providing financial, business or government support to Tehran would face “tremendous economic consequences.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had criticised Trump’s announcement of an “Economic D-Day” against Tehran, saying the move diverted attention from America’s own economic issues.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had earlier said Tehran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States fulfilled commitments under a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding, including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and easing oil sanctions. (ANI)