Trump Calls New Iran Strikes Highly Unlikely if Nuclear Talks Advance
Trump told CNN renewed U.S. strikes on Iran are “highly unlikely” if talks advance on a nuclear deal and reopening Hormuz, while claiming three carriers stand ready and 38 Iranian bridges could fall within an hour.
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Donald Trump said on Sunday that a return to U.S. military action against Iran hinged on whether Tehran signed “a very strong agreement”, repeating five times in a roughly 20-minute phone interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto that new strikes were “highly unlikely”.
The U.S. president tied that outlook to progress in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The answer is highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary,” Trump said. “I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard.”
Carriers and Bridges
Trump paired the reassurance with warnings about U.S. readiness. “I’ve got three aircraft carriers here. The other one just arrived. We have three. They’re fully locked and loaded,” he said.
He claimed U.S. forces could destroy dozens of Iranian bridges almost immediately. “We have 38 bridges in our site that we can knock down in literally one hour,” Trump said, according to CNN. The Jerusalem Post rendered the phrase as “in our sight”.
He also said he would prefer to avoid hitting infrastructure. “I don’t like ripping down bridges. And the hardest thing to build is a bridge. It takes years, and I’m a good builder,” he said, adding that rebuilding would take about 10 years.
Trump’s Claims on Iranian Capacity
Trump asserted that Iran’s air defenses were “gone” and that Tehran could now produce missiles at roughly 10% of its former level and drones at about 15%, because “much of their factories are gone”. None of these figures has been independently verified.
He cited 301% inflation in Iran this year, calling it “a failing nation” that was “withering away financially”.
“Most likely it will not be necessary,” Trump said. “They want to make a deal so badly.”
Stalemate and Mediation
The remarks come eight months into the war, which has settled into a stalemate with little military action or significant diplomatic progress. Oil tankers in Hormuz have come under Iranian attack.
Qatar has mediated between the sides, though both parties and Qatari officials have kept quiet about the status of talks. Trump has previously sent mixed messages about ending the conflict, and recently weighed resuming the war as his national security team met. Advisers have also urged an Iran campaign within eight weeks, NBC reported.
Iranian hardliners have read last week’s U.S. midterm results as a sign of a weakened Trump more willing to accept Tehran’s demands to keep its nuclear program and control of the strait. Trump had earlier signaled he was ready to end the war without a nuclear deal if the strait reopens.
Diplomatic Uptick
Diplomatic contacts have increased since the midterms. On Friday, Qatar said Trump called Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss de-escalation.
A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Pakistan, Kuwait, Jordan, Türkiye, Cyprus and Qatar.
Iran has struggled to sell crude under U.S. sanctions, and billions of dollars of its assets remain frozen abroad.
Kamer Kurunç
Kamer Kurunç is the Team Leader of Clash Report and has led the outlet for four years. He oversees its breaking world news coverage, from the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war to defense and global politics. His focus is fast, verified, source-based reporting. Follow him on X at @kamerknc.
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