United States President Donald Trump said yesterday Iranian missile strikes on bases in Iraq had not harmed any U.S. troops stationed there and damage was minimal, an outcome he said showed Tehran wanted to de-escalate a standoff.
Iranian forces fired missiles at military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq early yesterday, saying it was in retaliation for the killing in a U.S. drone strike of powerful Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3.
An Iranian regime-run media outlet claimed that more than 80 Americans were killed in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile strike on US forces in Iraq early yesterday, according to the Times of Israel.
“An informed source at the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said over 80 American troops were killed and some 200 wounded in the IRGC’s missile strikes on the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in Anbar province in western Iraq,” Mehr News reported yesterday.
In an address to the nation, Trump opened by telling reporters: “As long as I am president of the US, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.” He said: “No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties. All of our soldiers are safe and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases.”
“Our great American forces are prepared for anything. Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.” He said that Americans should be “extremely grateful and happy.”
As he spoke, the U.S. president was flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and military officers. He continued: “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.” Trump has made no secret of his hatred of the Iran Nuclear Deal, and pulled the US out of it in March 2018. “Iran must abandon its nuclear ambitions and end its support for terrorism,” he said.
He also said that “American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent. The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it.”
The President said he no longer wants to use American military might against Tehran but will impose ‘punishing’ new sanctions in an attempt to force its leaders to abandon their nuclear program and stop supporting terrorists.
He offered an olive branch by urging European powers along with China and Russia to negotiate a deal to replace the 2015 nuclear agreement signed under Obama, which he said will guarantee Iran ‘a good future’.
Trump added that the world should be ‘very happy’ after General Qassem Soleimani, who was credited with killing and maiming thousands of US and allied troops across the Middle East, was taken out using ‘big, powerful, accurate, lethal, and fast’ missiles.