24 April,2026 09:51 AM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondent
US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday. PIC/AFP
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said he would not set any deadline for ending the conflict with Iran, stating "dont rush me" while claiming that Irans military capabilities have been severely weakened. He also said he would not use a nuclear weapon in the conflict.
He asserted that Iran is in a weakened position militarily and economically, and said he is in no hurry to conclude talks, adding that Tehran will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, when asked how long he is willing to wait until he gets a response from Iran, Trump said, "Don't rush me... I have been doing this for 6 weeks. Their military is totally defeated... They have boats running around with guns in them; we will take them out, too, when we see them. Their Navy and Air Force are gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone... Their leaders are all gone. Part of the problem is that they have lost their leadership, and they are fighting like cats and dogs. So who is going to control?... Soleimani was a brilliant general. Probably we would not have been that far advanced had I not taken him out."
He also criticised the previous Iran nuclear deal, asserting that it paved the way for Tehran to develop nuclear weapons, while claiming that Iran is currently under severe economic and military pressure and is seeking negotiations with the United States.
"I ended the nuclear transaction that Obama made... The Iran nuclear deal was so bad that it gave them a road to a nuclear weapon... They cannot have the nuclear bomb, and they are not going to have it... We stopped because they wanted to have some peace. We have a blockade that is 100% effective... They are not doing well economically and financially... They want to make a deal. We have been speaking to them, but they don't even know who is leading the country... They have been obliterated," he said.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said that the United States (US) has full control over its blockade measures against Iran, calling them effective.
He also said that Iran's reported actions in the region, including targeting multiple countries, could be a serious mistake.
"That is very top secret... What we have done with the blockade is amazing, and nobody gets through. Nobody wants to get through; nobodys trying... We have complete control... For Iran to shoot at Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, all the different places, they shot, nobody expected that. They thought they would shoot at Israel at all fairness, but you didnt expect they would be shooting at numerous other countries. I think it was a big mistake. If theyre putting mines down, its a big mistake for them, I will say," Trump told reporters.
Earlier in a post on Truth Social, Trump said he is under no pressure to end the conflict with Iran, asserting that the country is in a weakened position militarily and economically.
He added that any deal will be made only when it is in the best interest of the US and its allies.
"For those people, fewer in number now than ever before, that are reading The Failing New York Times, or watching Fake News CNN, that think that I am anxious to end the War (if you would even call it that!) with Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position. I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn't -- The clock is ticking! The reason some of the Media is doing so poorly with Subscribers and Viewers is because they no longer have credibility," the post read.
The US President also said on Thursday (local time) said he would not use a nuclear weapon in the conflict with Iran, stating that such weapons should never be used by anyone.
When asked whether he would use a nuclear weapon against Iran, Trump said, "Why would a stupid question like that be asked?... No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody."
Further, Trump said the US has a strong economy and sufficient oil supply, and added that several ships are now heading to the US instead of the Strait of Hormuz, amid efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"... We have this unbelievable economy... I called JD, Marco, Howard and Scott and told them that I hate to tell you, but we have to do a little bit of a detour. We have to go to Iran and make sure that they are out of nuclear weapons... A lot of ships are coming to the United States, and they are using the United States instead of the Hormuz Strait... We don't have an oil shortage... We are right now producing more oil than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined... We are taking in millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela," he said.
He also said the US has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and is deliberately keeping it closed to pressure Iran into a deal, adding that he wants a lasting agreement and will not rush the process despite claiming significant progress.
"... I gave them a break. I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now. Do you know that if I left right now, we had a tremendous success. It would take them 20 years to rebuild, but I dont want to do that. I want to have it everlasting... What I am doing, I cant tell you that. I don't want to put that kind of timetable on it, but it will go pretty quickly. We will have the Strait opened up. Right now, we have it closed. We have total control of the Strait," he further stated.
The USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East, the US military said Thursday, bringing the number of the massive American warships operating in the region to three.
The Bush was sailing "in the Indian Ocean in the US Central Command area of responsibility, April 23," the military command responsible for the Middle East said in a post on X that included an image of the carrier with its deck packed with warplanes.
An Israeli security source told AFP on Thursday that the country was not carrying out airstrikes in Iran, following reports in Iranian state media of blasts over the capital Tehran, activating air defence systems.
"Israel is not attacking in Iran," the source said on condition of anonymity.
An Israeli strike on south Lebanon killed three people, the Lebanese health ministry said, the latest attack despite a 10-day truce in the Israel-Hezbollah war.
The attacks came hours ahead of the second meeting between Lebanon and Israel's US ambassadors in Washington, where Beirut is expected to ask for a ceasefire extension.
(With ANI and AFP inputs)
