Says 'Iran appears to be standing down' following its retaliatory attacks against Iraqi bases housing US troops
Trump .flanked by senior members of his national security team including Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Mike Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley said an early warning system worked well and no American or Iraqi lives were lost.
He promised to impose more drastic economic sanctions on Tehran. He emphasized that no Americans were killed in Tehran's strike and announced new sanctions, not military action.
Trump appeared to be positioning the US to de-escalate, but offered very little room for Iran to maneuver, essentially sticking to a maximalist approach and demanding that any de-escalation happen on US terms.
The President's remarks set out no basic change from an administration strategy that has sharply ratcheted up tensions over the last year, putting the region on edge and bringing the US and Iran to the brink of war in the first days of the new year.
"The United States will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime," Trump said, noting his administration is continuing to review other options to respond to the Iranian missile strike on Tuesday.
"These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior," he added. "In recent months alone, Iran has seized ships in international waters, fired an unprovoked strike on Saudi Arabia and shot down two American drones."
Trump seemed to keep his options open by explicitly describing American military readiness.
"Our missiles are big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast," he said, a warning tucked into a speech that otherwise indicated an easing of strain.
"The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it," Trump said. "We do not want to use it. American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent."
Iran fired a number of missiles at two Iraqi bases housing US troops Wednesday local time in retaliation for the American strike that killed a top Iranian general last week.
Ahead of Trump's remarks a growing belief emerged among administration officials that Iran deliberately missed areas populated by Americans.
Multiple administration officials told CNN that Iran could have directed their missiles to hit areas that are populated by Americans, but intentionally did not.
Iraq did receive advance warning that the strike was coming and was able to take "necessary precautions," according to a statement from Iraq's Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi.
A US defense official said that Iraq, in turn, gave advance warning to the United States.
Iraq's joint military command said there were no casualties among Iraqi military forces.
Iran targeted the al-Asad airbase, which houses US troops, and American and coalition forces in Erbil, according to Jonathan Hoffman, a Pentagon spokesperson. Trump had visited al-Asad in December 2018.
Trump appeared to be positioning the US to de-escalate, but offered very little room for Iran to maneuver, essentially sticking to a maximalist approach and demanding that any de-escalation happen on US terms.
Reading carefully from teleprompters, Trump announced that his administration would once again slap Iran with more sanctions and demanded that US allies leave the nuclear deal so a new pact can be negotiated.
Trump called upon the signatories of the 2015 multinational nuclear accord with Iran — China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom — to "break away from the remnants" of the pact and work together toward striking a new deal "that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place."
Trump called upon the signatories of the 2015 multinational nuclear accord with Iran — China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom — to "break away from the remnants" of the pact and work together toward striking a new deal "that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place."
The President's remarks set out no basic change from an administration strategy that has sharply ratcheted up tensions over the last year, putting the region on edge and bringing the US and Iran to the brink of war in the first days of the new year.
"The United States will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime," Trump said, noting his administration is continuing to review other options to respond to the Iranian missile strike on Tuesday.
Trump seemed to keep his options open by explicitly describing American military readiness.
"Our missiles are big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast," he said, a warning tucked into a speech that otherwise indicated an easing of strain.
"The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it," Trump said. "We do not want to use it. American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent."
Iran fired a number of missiles at two Iraqi bases housing US troops Wednesday local time in retaliation for the American strike that killed a top Iranian general last week.
Ahead of Trump's remarks a growing belief emerged among administration officials that Iran deliberately missed areas populated by Americans.
Multiple administration officials told CNN that Iran could have directed their missiles to hit areas that are populated by Americans, but intentionally did not.
Iraq did receive advance warning that the strike was coming and was able to take "necessary precautions," according to a statement from Iraq's Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi.
A US defense official said that Iraq, in turn, gave advance warning to the United States.
Iraq's joint military command said there were no casualties among Iraqi military forces.
Iran targeted the al-Asad airbase, which houses US troops, and American and coalition forces in Erbil, according to Jonathan Hoffman, a Pentagon spokesperson. Trump had visited al-Asad in December 2018.
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