01 September,2026 10:51 AM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondent
Donald Trump. Pic/AFP
US President Donald Trump on Monday repeated his claims that Iran's military capabilities had been severely weakened, while asserting that Tehran would never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, Trump also said oil continued to move through the Strait of Hormuz with the assistance of the US Navy, claiming that this had prevented a sharp rise in global oil prices.
The US president described Iran as a "failed nation" and claimed that its leadership, military and economy had suffered major damage.
When asked about Iran, Trump said the country was facing serious economic and military difficulties.
"They're a failed nation. Yeah, they're a failed nation. They've got 350 per cent inflation. They have no currency. They're not paying their soldiers. Their leaders are largely dead. Their Navy is gone. Their Air Force is gone. Their surveillance equipment is almost entirely gone. That doesn't mean we won't smack them. See what happens."
Trump has repeatedly made similar claims about the impact of the ongoing conflict on Iran's military and political leadership.
His latest remarks came amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran and renewed concerns over military activity around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important shipping routes for oil and other energy supplies.
Addressing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the US Navy was assisting commercial vessels moving through the strategic waterway.
"We have the Strait of Hormuz in extremely good shape. You know, we're taking over many, many ships that got through last night, as you know, with the Navy's assistance. And we've been averaging 30 ships a night. That's a lot. And a lot of oil is coming out. That's why you haven't seen the price of oil go like they thought it might have to go."
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for global energy supplies, and disruptions to shipping in the waterway have raised concerns about the potential impact on international oil markets.
Trump argued that the continued movement of ships and oil through the strait had helped prevent the significant increase in oil prices that some observers had anticipated.
Trump again made clear that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained a central objective of US policy.
He claimed that an Iranian nuclear weapon would pose a threat not only to Israel but also to the wider Middle East and eventually the United States.
"Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. See, that's what it's all about. It's not about any of the other things. It's about us as a country and as for the world, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. If Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel would have been wiped out. You would have no Israel right now and probably no Middle East. And they'd be hitting our cities at some point because they're sick people. And Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."
Trump has consistently argued that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, making the issue a central part of his administration's approach towards Tehran.
The president's comments from the Oval Office came shortly after he used a social media post to launch another sharp attack on Iran's economic, political and military situation.
Trump had described Iran as a "failed nation" and called for its leadership to face trial for alleged war crimes, while also accusing Iranian authorities of killing more than 100,000 protesters.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump criticised Tehran's economic management and claimed that its military forces and political leadership were in disarray.
"Iran is officially a Failed Nation. IT IS DEAD! They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, they have no currency, they are not paying their soldiers or police, Inflation is at 300%, and their leadership is in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country," Trump wrote.
(With inputs from ANI)
