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U.S. President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the United States had "already won" the Iran war, claiming its navy, air force, anti-aircraft systems and leadership were "destroyed."
However, he noted that this victory was "actually not good enough" unless there were permanent guarantees that Iran would never acquire a nuclear weapon. "I will tell you that Iran would use the nuclear weapon if they had it," Trump told Newsmax's Greta Van Susteren.
"I deal with these people. I know people. They will use their nuclear weapon, and we're not going to give them a chance to do it," Trump said.
"We've already won, but I want to win by a bigger margin. We have destroyed their navy, destroyed their air force, destroyed all of their anti-aircraft equipment, and their radar equipment. Their leadership is destroyed. We've destroyed everything," he claimed.
He said Iran had been so severely degraded that recovery would take decades.
"If we leave right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild, if they ever could rebuild," Trump said.
On the nuclear question, Trump was categorical: "Iran would use a nuclear weapon if they had it. I deal with these people. I know people. They will use their nuclear weapon, and we're not going to give them a chance to do it."
He rejected any allowance for a civilian nuclear program, stating: "I wouldn't have approved that. I'm not giving them anything. They're either going to have a nuclear weapon or they aren't. And if they do, they're in big trouble."
Trump also said that Iran's economic situation was at a breaking point. "Right now, their economy is collapsing, and inflation is at close to 100%. They can't do any oil because we have a blockade that's 100% effective," he said.
Trump said the international reaction to his Iran policy had been broadly positive while criticizing allies.
"I actually think it's very popular what I'm doing. The world is thanking me, because I shouldn't be the one that's doing it. Other presidents should have done it long before me, and other countries should have done it. We were not helped by NATO at all," Trump said.
The U.S. and Israel began strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliation from Tehran against U.S. allies in the Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Following Pakistan's mediation, a ceasefire was declared on April 8. However, subsequent talks in Islamabad on April 11–12 failed to produce an agreement.
Trump later unilaterally extended the truce indefinitely at Pakistan’s request.
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