Washington DC [US], May 5 : In an escalating war of words paired with a tightening naval stranglehold, US President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that Iran's military infrastructure has been effectively dismantled, claiming the regime's leadership has been "wiped out" despite their public defiance.
Speaking from the Oval Office during a proclamation signing, the President painted a picture of a broken adversary, asserting that Tehran's private posture in negotiations stands in stark contrast to its state-sponsored rhetoric.
Trump utilised his address to reporters to emphasise what he described as the total erosion of Iranian defensive capabilities. He dismissed the regime's public bravado as a facade for a nation in collapse.
"Iran has no chance. They never did. They know it. They express it to me when I talk to them. Then they get on television and say how well they're doing," Trump said.
The President went on to list a comprehensive breakdown of Iranian military assets he claims have been neutralised. "They have no Navy- totally wiped out. They have no Air Force- totally wiped out. They have no anti-aircraft capability, totally wiped out, no radar. They have no leaders. The leaders are wiped out. The whole thing," said Trump.
Trump also touted the "unbelievable" prowess of the US Navy, specifically highlighting the success of the current naval blockade in turning back Iranian vessels. "We have an unbelievable navy. We set up a blockade... We're the hottest country in the world," he added.
Meanwhile, earlier today, United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, on Tuesday attacked Iran in a sharply worded statement and said that global supply chains are being weaponised as the IRGC holds the global economy hostage.
He made the remarks during a press conference along with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Gen Caine slammed Iran for repeatedly threatening and attacking commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz over the past seven weeks, "in order to effectively cut off commercial traffic and damage the global economy."
He told the media, "By obstructing one of the world's most critical maritime checkpointsa vital transit route for approximately one-fifth of the global oil consumptionIran is weaponising the global supply chain. This action disregards established navigation rights and the Law of the Sea, and the regime led by the IRGC is effectively attempting to hold the entire global economy hostage."
Also at the briefing, in a stern warning to Tehran, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth officially defined the parameters of Project Freedom on Tuesday, characterising the mission as a temporary but "locked and loaded" defensive measure to end Iranian interference in global shipping.
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