Washington, 04 March (H.S.):

In his first public comments on the escalating Iran conflict, President Donald Trump forcefully defended U.S. military action on Tuesday, rejecting suggestions that Israeli pressure prompted Saturday's strikes while invoking decades-old Iranian aggressions to justify the campaign.

Speaking from the Oval Office alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ahead of closed-door talks, Trump dismissed claims that Israeli plans spurred his decision, quipping he might have instead forced Israel to act. He asserted U.S. operations have rendered Iran's navy, air force, and radar capabilities almost completely neutralized, crediting the swift pace for precluding prior evacuations of Americans in the Middle East—a move he deemed unfeasible given the operation's speed.

Trump labeled Iran's targeting of neighboring states in retaliation as unforeseen, while slamming Britain as very, very uncooperative over its Chagos Islands sovereignty concession and hinting at emergency measures to ramp up defense production.

Historical Grievances Fuel Justification

To legitimize the strikes, Trump referenced the 1979 Iran hostage crisis and the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing, portraying Iran as a decades-long sponsor of terror that necessitated action. Someone had to take this step, he declared, framing the conflict as an inevitable response to Tehran's persistent threats.

Trump cautioned against expecting anti-regime protests in Iran amid extremely dangerous conditions and relentless bombardment, warning that the worst outcome would see a successor regime mirroring the current leadership's intransigence. These remarks, delivered amid reports of crippled Iranian defenses and regional ripple effects, underscore Trump's unyielding stance as the war enters its second week.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar