Trump Says Iran Has Only Days Left, Dismisses Fears of Higher Oil Prices

[Financial News, New York = Reporter Lee Byung-chul]President Donald Trump once again raised the pressure on Iran, publicly saying he had gone as far as "an hour ago" in deciding whether to take additional military action. He said he delayed the attack for several days at the request of Middle Eastern leaders, but warned that Iran has only "two or three days, or at most until early next week" left for talks.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on the 20th, local time, President Donald Trump said, "We were fully prepared," adding, "The attack would have been underway at this very moment." He then said, "We had gone as far as one hour before making the decision to attack today." The remarks were interpreted as suggesting that the nominal ceasefire between the United States and Iran could end at any time.
The day before, President Donald Trump claimed on his social media platform Truth Social that he had postponed a planned covert attack at the request of several Middle Eastern leaders. He said, "They called and said, 'We think Iran is acting reasonably. Give us a few more days.'"
However, there has been no official confirmation that the United States was actually preparing to strike Iran on Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that some Gulf officials mentioned by President Donald Trump were not aware of any immediate U.S. attack plan. In response, President Donald Trump said, "I did not tell them directly."
When asked how much time he would give Iran for negotiations, President Donald Trump replied, "It could be two or three days, or it could be until Sunday or early next week." He added, "Time is limited, because we cannot allow Iran to have nuclear weapons."
The war has settled into a prolonged stalemate even under the ceasefire, as the United States and Iran continue to clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. The war, which began on February 28, has already far exceeded the Trump administration's original estimate of four to six weeks.
Public opinion in the United States is also turning against him. According to a poll released on the 19th by The New York Times (NYT) and Siena College, only 31% of registered voters supported President Donald Trump's handling of the war with Iran, while 65% opposed it. Most of those who opposed him said they "strongly oppose" it.
Still, President Donald Trump made clear that he would not back down despite the worsening public mood. "Everyone says it is unpopular, but once they understand this is a nuclear weapons issue, they will support it very strongly," he said. "Whether it is popular or not, it is something that has to be done."
He also brushed aside Republican Party concerns over higher oil prices ahead of the midterm elections, calling them "peanuts." He argued, "There is a tremendous amount of oil in the market," and said, "We just have to endure it for a while."
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n
pride@fnnews.com Reporter Lee Byung-chul Reporter