Washington, Sept 2026 : US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran appears to lack a clear political leader following renewed American military action, while asserting that the country’s military capabilities have been significantly reduced by the latest strikes.
Speaking at the White House, Trump was asked who was currently in charge of Iran after negotiations were suspended and the United States launched another round of military strikes. The President said he believed Iranian authorities were uncertain about who was exercising effective leadership.
“They don’t really know. In my opinion, they don’t know who the leader is,” Trump said, adding that what he described as Iran’s radical elements had been severely weakened from a military standpoint.
Trump did not identify any individual or organisation that Washington believes is currently directing Iran. He also did not provide evidence for his assessment of the country’s political leadership.
The US President described Iran as a “failed nation” and pointed to what he characterised as extreme economic and military difficulties. He claimed that Iran was facing inflation of 350 per cent and said the country’s currency and military institutions had been severely affected.
“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,” Trump said.
His comments came amid renewed uncertainty over the scale and duration of the US military operation against Iran. Asked whether the latest strikes represented a limited campaign or marked a return to full-scale war, Trump declined to provide a clear definition of the operation.
“That doesn’t mean we won’t smack ’em; we’ll see what happens,” he said, leaving open the possibility of further American military action.
Trump also sought to reassure global markets and commercial shipping interests by saying the United States had secured the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and was assisting vessels travelling through the waterway.
“But we have the Strait of Hormuz in extremely good shape. You know, we’re taking over,” Trump said, claiming that many ships had successfully passed through the strait with assistance from the US Navy.
According to Trump, around 30 ships had been travelling through the waterway each night, allowing significant quantities of oil to continue reaching global markets. He linked the continued movement of tankers to the relatively limited rise in international oil prices.
“We’ve been averaging 30 ships a night, that’s a lot, and a lot of oil is coming out,” he said, arguing that this was why oil prices had not increased as sharply as some had anticipated.
Trump maintained that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remained the primary objective of the US campaign. He said Washington’s actions were ultimately aimed at ensuring that Tehran could never acquire nuclear weapons.
“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. See, that’s what it’s all about. It’s not about any of the other things,” Trump said.
He argued that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a serious threat to Israel and could destabilise the wider Middle East, while eventually creating risks for the United States.
“If Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel would have been wiped out,” Trump said, adding that the consequences could extend across the region.
His remarks underline the continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran, with the possibility of further military escalation remaining uncertain as diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
