Trump: US strikes set back Iran’s nuclear programme by decades

US President Donald Trump has declared that recent American military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities delayed Tehran’s nuclear ambitions by decades.

Speaking during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in The Hague, Trump stated that he believed the delay would span decades and expressed doubt that Iran would ever restart its nuclear programme, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Trump described the strikes as a “total obliteration” of the nuclear sites, noting that the flames had engulfed not only everything underground but also everything on the surface, with everything above ground—trees and all—burned to ashes.

He also revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had offered assistance in resolving the Iran conflict during their phone conversations, adding that Putin had been very kind and offered help with Iran, to which Trump responded that he needed help not only with Iran but also with Russia.

Addressing concerns about the removal of nuclear materials, Trump expressed skepticism that Iran had managed to evacuate materials from the underground uranium enrichment plant in Fordow before the strikes, saying he didn’t think they had any chance to remove anything because the US acted very quickly. 

He emphasised the logistical difficulties involved in transporting such dangerous materials. Trump also reiterated that the US would not allow Iran to continue uranium enrichment, which he saw as essential to eventually establishing “some kind of relationship” with Tehran.

He added that although Iran wanted to recover, the US would not permit it. Concluding his remarks, Trump reaffirmed his belief that the setbacks to Iran’s nuclear program would last for decades and that he did not think they would ever restart it.

By Naila Huseynova