President Donald Trump asserted on Wednesday that Iran’s “hellish” experience during the 12-day war with Israel, exacerbated by US strikes on its nuclear sites, forced it to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions. He controversially compared the US actions to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Trump stated that Iran “went through hell” and concluded they would no longer attempt to enrich uranium, despite intelligence reports suggesting a limited impact of the strikes. He emphasized the difficulty and cost Iran incurred in its enrichment efforts, which he believes are now abandoned.
The conflict originated with Israeli bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities, citing concerns about their nuclear program. Iran maintained its nuclear activities were peaceful. The 12 days of hostilities led to significant damage and loss of life.
A ceasefire, reportedly brokered by Trump, was holding, though he had previously expressed dissatisfaction with early violations. Trump’s remarks suggest a belief in the long-term deterrence achieved through military action.