The key facts
- Trump said in a CBS News interview that he sees no reason to escalate the war with Iran after the midterm elections
- According to him, Iran's enriched uranium ended up buried under thousands of tons of rock after strikes on nuclear facilities
- Earlier Trump declared a US victory, but left open the question of the operation's final conclusion and demanded compensation for expenses from the defended countries
Trump rules out escalation after the elections
US President Donald Trump said he does not intend to continue the war with Iran after the midterm elections to Congress. In an interview with CBS News, he rejected the host's suggestion that after the vote Washington might move to larger-scale military action against Tehran: “I am not seeking [that]. I don't think there are any reasons for it,” he said (Life.ru reported this, citing the interview).
The question of enriched uranium
During the conversation, the host reminded the president that Iran still has enriched uranium. Trump responded by pointing to the consequences of the American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and said the uranium stockpiles had been buried under thousands of tons of rock. Thus, according to the president, the physical integrity of the material itself does not mean it remains accessible.
Context of earlier statements
The statement that there are no reasons for escalation fits with Trump's earlier remarks cited by Life.ru. He declared Washington's victory in the confrontation with Iran, but acknowledged that the final conclusion of the military operation remains an open question: according to him, the US could end the conflict “either now or later.” In addition, the president said that the countries Washington defended during the war with Iran are obliged to fully reimburse the American side for military expenses; he paid particular attention to Israel, whose existence he called an achievement of the United States and of himself personally. The overall picture is contradictory only at first glance: Trump simultaneously declares success and leaves open the question of ending the operation, while explicitly ruling out a new escalation after the elections.
