US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington has knocked out much of Iran’s military but still needs to “take care of” one or two targets, including a suspected nuclear site known as Pickaxe Mountain. Speaking to reporters at his Florida residence, he said those actions could be carried out quickly.
Trump said negotiations with Tehran aimed at ending the war, which the United States and Israel began at the end of February, were progressing, though he described Iran as an unreliable partner. He added that Washington was in no rush to take offensive action, saying its strikes had already severely damaged Iran’s military and nuclear programme.
Pickaxe Mountain and the remaining targets
Trump described the suspected underground nuclear complex as a site that must be dealt with, adding that the United States could move against it swiftly. The Iranian government has denied that any nuclear work takes place there.
Also read: Trump signals possible new US military action against Iran · Trump Iran military action could widen if GOP loses midterms
Diplomacy and Iranian warnings of new attacks
Earlier on Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump had not yet decided on fresh strikes on Iran and that Washington would be open to a diplomatic solution. Iran’s supreme leader, also on Saturday, warned the United States and Israel against launching new attacks, following threats to resume strikes after elections.
Trump has previously warned that fresh military action is possible after the US midterm elections, saying he was weighing whether to “finish them off.”
