US President Donald Trump hardened his rhetoric against
Iran, warning that if circumstances force Washington to abandon the path of
containment, the US Armed Forces would be prepared to complete the recently
launched military operation by force.
The president stated that, so far, the actions taken have
been successful, but made it clear that a new confrontation could trigger a
larger-scale response.
Trump maintained that there is a limit to acting with
restraint and asserted that if that point is crossed, the United States will
not hesitate to use its full military power to achieve its strategic objectives.
In that context, he issued one of his most forceful warnings, stating that if
the conflict were to escalate, the Islamic Republic of Iran would cease to
exist. This declaration has heightened international tensions and fueled
concerns about a potential larger-scale confrontation in the Middle East:
“There may come a time
when we are no longer able to act sensibly and are forced to complete
militarily the task we began so successfully.
If that happens, the
Islamic Republic of Iran will cease to exist!”