WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran is “completely collapsing” amid ongoing hostilities between Washington and Tehran.
“IRAN IS COMPLETELY COLLAPSING!!! President DJT,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform without elaborating further, mirroring his earlier statements regarding Tehran’s economic and military condition.
On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the US was entering an “economic D-Day” against Iran following what he described as the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Islamic Republic’s military and nuclear capabilities.
“President (Donald) Trump has dismantled Iran’s military capabilities, destroyed nearly 100 per cent of its military factories, and buried its nuclear programme,” Bessent said in a post on the US social media platform X.
Trump said on Friday he still believes Iran was not ready to make “the right deal” with Washington as tightening economic measures have been deployed against Tehran.
“They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump told reporters. “They have no money, they have no navy, they have no air force, they are not paying their soldiers, they’re not paying their police. They have 350% inflation,” he added.
Trump also suggested that the US maintains “complete control” of the region surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, including the crucial waterway and its surrounding land area in southern Iran.
Iran will use all ‘bilateral capabilities’ to confront US economic sanctions: Baghaei
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a press conference on Monday that Iran will use all its bilateral capabilities to confront US economic sanctions.
He said that Iran has issued warnings regarding cooperation with the US on its economic pressure on Tehran.
Speaking about the visit of the Omani foreign minister, he said it was not linked to the visit of the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to Tehran, which is reported to take place on Monday. Munir departed for Tehran earlier today to promote regional peace.
Baghaei said on Monday that repeated US sanctions against Iran will yield no results, arguing that such measures have “failed” to achieve their objectives.
“Washington’s persistence in failed methods has no result other than proving America’s hatred for the Iranian people, because they know very well that the direct consequences of these sanctions are on ordinary citizens,” Baghaei told reporters at a weekly news conference, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. He said sanctions and “intimidation” of other countries aimed at limiting trade ties violate the principles of free trade and respect for national sovereignty.
“This illegal practice is a wake-up call for the international community, as America’s excesses and violations of the law in international relations have even provoked protests from its close allies.”
Regarding reports that Tehran had been invited to join the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, Baghaei said Iran had not been asked to join but that “proposals have been made for talks with these countries on regional security.” –Agencies
