Trump Says Renewed Iran Strikes Are Unlikely if Talks Advance

U.S. President Donald Trump said on November 8 that another round of American attacks on Iran was unlikely if negotiations made progress. In a 20-minute telephone interview, he linked that assessment to talks over Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while keeping military action available if an agreement failed to emerge. Trump said, “It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement.” He repeatedly expressed the view that further attacks would probably be unnecessary. He also said American forces remained prepared to act and claimed that three aircraft carriers were in the region, including one that had recently arrived. Trump described possible attacks on Iranian infrastructure, saying U.S. forces had identified 38 bridges that could be destroyed within an hour. He said he preferred to avoid that destruction because reconstruction could take 10 years. The target count, readiness claims and rebuilding estimate were his assessments. The interview followed Trump’s November 7 remarks describing the confrontation with Iran as potentially an occupation rather than a war. In those earlier remarks, he described a small American attack on an Iranian anti-aircraft facility on Qeshm Island. On November 8, he again presented negotiations and the possibility of renewed force together, making his preference for avoiding further attacks conditional on a strong agreement.