Trump's stern message to Iran, ultimatum for Hormuz! 'In 2-3 weeks...'

US President Donald Trump delivered his long-awaited address to the nation. Trump began his speech by congratulating the astronauts on Artemis II, NASA's first crewed mission around the Moon since 1972, and reminded the public that Operation Epic Fury, launched by the US against Iran, has passed the one-month mark. Arguing that the US military is achieving fast and effective results on the ground, Trump said, "As of tonight, the Iranian navy is gone. The air force is in ruins. And most of the leaders of that terrorist regime are now dead."

"OUR ENEMIES ARE LOSING, WE ARE WINNING"

Stating that attacks on Iran continued during his speech, Trump said, "Their missile and drone launch capabilities have been severely restricted. Weapons factories and missile ramps are being shattered, with very few left. In the history of warfare, no enemy has suffered such large-scale losses in a few weeks. Our enemies are losing, and we are winning in a bigger way than ever before," he said.

"WE ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON THE MIDDLE EAST"

Recalling the operation in which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured and brought to the US, Trump said, "I also want to thank our soldiers for their tremendous success in taking over Venezuela in minutes. This was met with respect by everyone all over the world." Claiming that he restructured the US military during his first presidential term, Trump said, "We now have the most powerful military in the world. Now we are working with Venezuela and our joint venture partners. We are getting along extremely well in the production and sale of a massive amount of oil and gas, which is the second-largest oil reserve after the US. We are not dependent on the Middle East, but we are there to help anyway. We don't have to be there; we don't need their oil or anything they have, we are just helping our allies," he assessed.

"I WILL NOT ALLOW IRAN TO HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON"

Arguing that the operation launched against Iran was carried out for security reasons, Trump said, "Since the first day I announced my presidential campaign in 2015, I swore that I would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. For 47 years, this regime has been chanting 'Death to America, death to Israel'." Claiming that the Iranian leadership is responsible for the deaths of US soldiers and protesters, Trump said, "It would be an intolerable threat for these terrorists to have nuclear weapons. The regime could freely carry out its campaigns of terror, oppression, and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield. I will never allow this to happen. None of our past presidents should have allowed it either. This situation has been going on for 47 years, and it should have been handled long before I took office," he stated.

"I DID WHAT NO PRESIDENT DARED TO DO"

Stating that he has taken steps to stop Iran's nuclear program since his first term, Trump cited the killing of Qasem Soleimani and the cancellation of the nuclear deal made during the Barack Obama era as examples. Trump said, "It would have been a very different world then. In my view and the view of valued experts, if I hadn't terminated that deal, there would be no Middle East or Israel right now. I was very honored to do it because it was a terrible deal from the start. I basically did what no other president dared to do. They made mistakes, and I am correcting them," he said.

"THE REGIME REJECTED EVERY ATTEMPT AT A DEAL"

Expressing that diplomacy is among his priorities, Trump said, "However, the regime remained determined in its pursuit of nuclear weapons and rejected every attempt at a deal. Therefore, in June, I ordered an attack on Iran's key nuclear facilities. Operation Midnight Hammer was carried out. No one had ever seen anything like it before. Those massive B-2 bombers did a great job. We completely leveled their nuclear facilities. The regime made it clear that they had no intention of giving up their love for nuclear weapons by trying to rebuild their nuclear program in a completely different place. They were also rapidly building a massive stockpile of ballistic missiles. They were going to have missiles that could reach American soil, Europe, and almost everywhere in the world," he said.

"THEY WERE ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NUCLEAR WEAPON"

Stating that Iran aimed to increase its long-range missile capacity, Trump said, "Moreover, they had some weapons that no one believed they possessed. We found out about it and eliminated them all. They thought no one would dare to stop them, and they made preparations for a nuclear weapon that no one had ever seen before. They were right on the threshold of it. For years, everyone said Iran could not have nuclear weapons. But ultimately, if you are not willing to act when the time comes, these are just empty words," he said.

TRUMP EMPHASIZED THAT IRAN HAS TAKEN A MAJOR BLOW

Stating that the purpose of the operations against Iran was to eliminate its military capacity, Trump said, "This means eliminating the Iranian navy, which is now completely destroyed. It means damaging their air force and missile programs to levels never seen before and destroying their defense industry bases. Their navy is finished, their air force is finished, their missiles are about to run out or have been neutralized. Taken together, these moves will paralyze the Iranian military and will never give them the opportunity to build a nuclear bomb," he said.

TRUMP'S SUPPORT FOR GULF COUNTRIES

Referring to the US military's progress on the ground, Trump said, "Tonight, I can say with great satisfaction that strategic objectives are nearing completion." Expressing support for Israel and the Gulf countries, Trump said, "Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain have taken a wonderful stance. We will not allow them to be harmed or defeated in any way," he stated.

"THE INCREASE IN GAS PRICES IS SHORT-TERM"

Addressing the rising fuel prices in the US, Trump said, "This short-term increase is entirely a result of the terrorist attacks carried out by the Iranian regime in surrounding countries, neighboring countries that have nothing to do with these conflicts. This is another concrete proof that Iran can never be trusted regarding nuclear weapons," he said. Making assessments about the economy, Trump said, "All of this has put us in a position to get rid of that cancer that has been simmering, that is, a nuclear Iran. They never knew what they were going to face; they never could have imagined it," he said.

"WE DO NOT AND WILL NOT GET OIL FROM THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ"

Drawing attention to the US's energy production capacity, Trump said, "Under my leadership, we are the number one oil and gas producer on the planet, not to mention the millions of barrels we get from Venezuela. Thanks to the policies of the Trump administration, we are producing more than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined. And this figure will be much higher soon. There is no energy potential anywhere in the world like ours, and we are in a great position for the future. The US imports almost no oil through the Strait of Hormuz, and we will not in the future. We haven't needed it, and we won't," he stated.

TRUMP'S CALL TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Arguing that superiority has been gained against Iran, Trump said, "We have defeated and completely destroyed Iran. They are ruined militarily, economically, and in every other way." Calling on countries that use the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said, "They should take responsibility for this business. They should take care of the Strait of Hormuz and appreciate it. We will certainly help, but they should take the lead in protecting the oil they desperately need," he said. Addressing countries that do not support the US, Trump said, "I have a suggestion for them: First, buy oil from the US. We have plenty. Second, gather your courage, even if it's a bit late, go to the Strait of Hormuz, and protect and use it. You should have done this with us before, when we asked. Iran is now leveled. The hardest part is over, so it should be easy for you now," he said.

"WHEN THE CONFLICT ENDS, THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ WILL OPEN"

Stating that the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is temporary, Trump said, "In any case, when this conflict ends, the Strait of Hormuz will open on its own. Because the only thing they have to try to rebuild the country is oil, and they will want to sell it. The flow will start again, gas prices will drop rapidly, and stock prices will rise again. And our stock markets haven't dropped that much anyway; they've had great days for the last few days. Actually, they are in much better shape than I thought; but we had to go down that difficult road through Iran to get rid of that terrible threat," he stated.

"THE REGIME HAS DE FACTO CHANGED"

Stating that the operation will continue for a while, Trump said, "Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, I have made it clear that we will not stop until we fully achieve our goals. Thanks to the great progress we have made, I can easily say tonight: We are on our way to completing all of America's military objectives shortly. We will deliver very hard blows to Iran over the next 2-3 weeks. We will send them back to the Stone Age where they belong. In the meantime, talks are also continuing. Regime change was never our goal, but due to the death of all their main leaders, the regime has de facto changed. They are all dead. The new group is less radical and much more reasonable," he said.

"IF THERE IS NO DEAL, WE WILL HIT THE POWER PLANTS"

Reminding that no deal has been reached yet, Trump said, "But we have reached key objectives. If there is no deal, we will hit every single power plant very hard and probably simultaneously. We haven't hit the oil facilities yet, even though it's the easiest target; because that wouldn't leave them even a tiny chance for survival or reconstruction. But we can hit them if we want, and they will be destroyed instantly. There is nothing they can do about it. They have no anti-aircraft equipment. Their radars have been 100 percent destroyed. We are unstoppable as a military power," he said.

"IF THEY MAKE A NUCLEAR MOVE, WE WILL HIT THEM AGAIN"

Making assessments regarding Iran's nuclear capacity, Trump said, "It would take them months to even get close to nuclear dust. We are keeping that place under intense satellite surveillance and control; if we see them make a single move in that direction, we will hit them again with missiles, and very hard. We hold all the cards; they have nothing. It is very important that we evaluate this conflict in the right perspective," he stated.

"THIS IS A HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN"

Stating that the process is short compared to recent wars, Trump said, "We are in the middle of an extremely powerful military operation. We have only been here for 32 days, and that country really poses no threat anymore. They were the bullies of the Middle East, and they are no longer bullies. This is a historic investment in the future of your children and grandchildren," he said.

"THE US WILL BE SAFER AND STRONGER"

At the end of his speech, touching on the US's global position, Trump said, "They cannot believe the excellence of the US military. Every American can look forward to the day we are rid of the Iranian threat and nuclear blackmail. Thanks to the steps we have taken, we are on the verge of completely ending Iran's ongoing terrible threat to America and the world. Let me tell you this; the world is watching us, and when we achieve this, when it's all over, the US will be safer, much stronger, much more prosperous, and much greater than ever before," he said.

News Source: İHA