WASHINGTON(National Times)- PRESIDENT Donald Trump rejected Iran\u2019s offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as \u201csimply not enough\u201d, warning that military action against Tehran could resume after the midterm elections and predicting long-term peace with the country is unlikely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an interview with Time Magazine<\/em>, Trump said he had seen \u201csome aspects\u201d of the Iranian proposal regarding the strait, but deemed it \u201csimply not enough\u201d. Asked why he rejected the proposal, Trump said: \u201cBecause things that I wouldn\u2019t have ap\u00ad\u00adproved a year ago I wouldn\u2019t have today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regarding Tehran\u2019s past threats to close the waterway, Trump said: \u201cThere was always a threat they had, and it worked for a little while. But we basically closed it on them. You know, they said we\u2019re going to close. I said, \u2018Well, if you close it, you\u2019re going to have big trouble.\u2019 We took it over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to his previous UN remarks about annihilating Iran, Trump told Time, \u201cYeah, I would do that. It\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Defending his title as the \u201cpresident of peace\u201d, he argued, \u201cBecause by annihilating Iran, we\u2019ve created peace in the world. With Iran, I don\u2019t think you could ever have peace.\u201d He noted post-midterm bombings remain possible, adding, \u201cWe have a lot of weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Addressing a Pentagon report citing munitions shortfalls caused by Operation Epic Fury in Iran, Trump dismissed it as \u201cmostly fake news\u201d. Acknowledging some ammunition forms are lower, he said the US is \u201cstocking up at levels we\u2019ve never done before\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Separately, Trump claimed on Truth Social that while eliminating a nuclear threat typically takes four to six weeks, he \u201cdid it in one night\u201d, adding that the remainder of the seven-month conflict ensures it stays that way. He told Time<\/em> the US destroyed Iran\u2019s navy, air force and radar systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that Tehran would defend itself but remains open to dialogue, as the country weighs a US response to its proposal to resurrect a collapsed mid-June ceasefire, IRNA<\/em> news agency reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n