Washington, DC [US], April 1 : President Donald Trump has asserted that it will take "15 to 20 years" for Iran to recover from the extensive US-Israeli military strikes, claiming the operation has effectively dismantled the country's strategic capabilities. Speaking from the Oval Office, the President maintained that the mission was designed to ensure a total degradation of the Iranian military apparatus.
"We want to knock out every possible thing they have," Trump told reporters on Tuesday. "We have set them back. It will take 15 to 20 years for them to rebuild what we've done to them."
Detailing the scale of the destruction, the President suggested that Tehran's primary defensive and offensive branches have been neutralised. According to Trump, the Iranian state currently lacks the foundational components of a modern fighting force or a functional government.
"They have no navy. They have no military. They have no air force. They have no telecommunications. They have no anti-aircraft systems. They have no leaders," he claimed, adding that the degraded state of the country makes the necessity of a diplomatic deal secondary to the military outcome.
"If they come to the table, that will be good. But it doesn't matter if they come to the table or not," Trump added, noting that the United States is prepared to conclude the conflict without a formal negotiated settlement.
The President reiterated that the primary objective of the military engagement was to ensure that Tehran had "no nuclear weapon". He declared that this specific mission had been successfully concluded, stating, "That goal has been attained. They do not have nuclear weapons."
Addressing the political future of the nation, Trump clarified that while "regime change was not a goal," he believes a fundamental shift in governance has already occurred. He noted earlier in his remarks that the leadership structure in Tehran has effectively been transformed during the course of the hostilities.
As the conflict enters what the White House describes as its final phase, the President provided a short window for the cessation of active strikes. He indicated that the United States intends to wrap up its military offensive against Iran in "two to three weeks," marking a definitive end to the current campaign.
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