31 August,2026 12:41 PM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondent
Donald Trump. Pic/AFP
US President Donald Trump has reiterated his position that Iran "cannot have a nuclear weapon", arguing that Tehran's acquisition of such a weapon would pose a threat to Israel and could have wider consequences for the Middle East, Europe and the United States.
Speaking to Fox News on "Sunday Night in America", Trump defended US actions against Iran and claimed that Washington's military and economic measures had significantly weakened the country.
"Iran is a number one leading state sponsor of terror. You've heard that many times, in the whole world. They cannot have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.
He said he had repeatedly asked critics of US military action whether they believed Iran should be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.
"I have numerous people say, 'Well, did you have to do it?' And then I say, 'Do you think it's okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon?' A nuclear weapon is massive destruction, you know, take what you see and multiply times a hundred," Trump said.
Trump said people who questioned or debated the US approach generally agreed that Iran should not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
"And everybody says no. I've had people on the other side asking me, or debating me, let's say, on that question. Most people are absolutely fine with it," he said.
The US president also claimed that the military and economic pressure being applied against Tehran was having a major impact.
"But we're doing a great job. The blockade has been unbelievable. The financial hits that we're giving them, we're hitting them very hard. Nobody's ever been hit like this," Trump said.
He added that Iran was under increasing pressure but did not indicate when or under what circumstances the conflict could end.
"And they're a failing nation right now. And at the right point, we'll either win, or they'll do something, but, you know, I don't mind winning, just winning that I don't need a signature on a piece of paper," he said.
Trump also claimed that Iran's naval and air capabilities, as well as its senior leadership and air defence infrastructure, had been severely damaged during the conflict.
"Their navy is gone, their air force is gone, their leaders are gone, their, uh, all of their anti-aircraft, I mean, it's all wiped out," he said.
The extent of the damage described by Trump could not immediately be independently verified.
Calling Iranians "tough people" and "smart people", Trump added, "they're very evil."
Trump also made claims regarding the number of protesters killed in Iran, alleging that Iranian forces had targeted both demonstrators and others.
"They killed 52,000 protesters as of three months ago, and sadly they've added very substantially to that list," Trump said.
No independent evidence was provided during the interview to support the casualty figure cited by Trump.
Trump said Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon could have devastating consequences, particularly for Israel and the wider Middle East.
"And if they had a nuclear weapon, Israel would be gone. If I weren't president, Israel would be gone. There would be no Israel. And there would probably be no Middle East," Trump said.
He also referred to Iran's actions against and threats towards Gulf countries since the conflict began, naming Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.
"I thought it was a very good thing because they lost all of the support that they had," Trump said, arguing that countries that had previously maintained relatively neutral positions towards Iran were no longer doing so.
"That means that if they would have had a nuclear weapon, they would have fired it. So I think the Middle East would have essentially been gone, but Israel definitely would have been gone. And I guess we would be next, or Europe, or someplace," Trump said.
"But no, you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon," he added.
Trump's interview came as the US military launched strikes on Iran's Larak Island on Sunday, targeting two Iranian missile launchers, according to CNN, which cited an American official.
The strikes hit a strategically significant area near the northern edge of the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping route that has become a focal point of tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Following the strike, the IRGC Public Relations Department issued a statement warning of direct "vengeance upon criminals" and promising the "punishment of the aggressor."
IRGC spokesperson and public relations chief Hossein Mohebbi described the military action as a "grave blunder" that came alongside newly imposed US economic measures.
"This action was a strategic and fatal error by the Trump regime in the course of the economic war, an error that will shift the balance against its planners and will entail heavy costs," Mohebbi said. "The enemy will pay the consequences of this miscalculation in both the economic and military arenas."
The latest military engagement followed the August 24 announcement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding "Operation Economic Outcast", a campaign aimed at cutting Iran off from global financial networks and restricting revenue available to its government.
The US has increasingly combined military action with economic measures as part of its broader pressure campaign against Tehran.
(With inputs from ANI)
