Doral, Florida: US President Donald Trump on Monday signalled an imminent end to military operations against Iran, reassuring global markets rattled by the conflict that erupted nearly two weeks ago.
The war which began with US-Israeli strikes on February 28 targeting Iran’s military has since triggered missile barrages from Tehran under new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei – son of slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – at Gulf neighbours, with threats to choke the strategic Strait of Hormuz oil artery.
Reports said markets plunged Monday with oil topping USD 100 a barrel, the highest since Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion. But Wall Street recovered on Trump’s comments, Tokyo and Seoul opened strong Tuesday, and crude fell up to five per cent.
“It’s going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they’ll be hit even harder,” Trump told reporters at his Doral National golf club near Miami.
Describing the unapproved campaign as a “short-term excursion”, he added: “I think soon. Very soon” – possibly in days or weeks. “Everything they have is gone, including their leadership.”
Trump demanded “ultimate victory” over Tehran’s clerical regime, calling Khamenei’s appointment “not good” but favouring an “internal” successor, as in Venezuela.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards retorted Tuesday: “We, not the Americans, will determine the end of the war.”
The president indicated to possible strikes on Iran’s power grid and warned of “incalculable” response if Hormuz is blocked. “We’ll hit them so hard… it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever recover,” he said.
To stabilise oil, Trump announced sanction waivers. “We’re waiving certain oil-related sanctions to reduce prices,” he said post-talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who he said wants to help despite backing Iran.
In a CBS News interview, Trump claimed: “The war is very complete… They have no navy, no communications, no air force.” Missiles and drones are “down”, far ahead of his one-month timeline.
However, on Friday he demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, and the Pentagon posted: “We have only just begun to fight.”
