Trump Says on November 9 After Meeting Qatar's Prime Minister That the Iran War Is Militarily Effectively Over: Status Quo and Naval Blockade to Continue, Renewed Strikes Unlikely
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to the White House briefing room on Monday, November 9, after meeting earlier with Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. He told reporters that the war in Iran militarily is effectively over and that the United States is just keeping it the status quo. He said Iran was talking to the United States, and talking very politely, and that he saw positive momentum and a good chance the war could get ended.
Trump said the naval blockade in the Gulf will continue, calling it the greatest military blockade ever, and said military action does not seem to be a very necessary thing, while adding that the United States is locked and loaded and ready to go for any reason that changes. In a social media posting shortly before speaking to reporters, he asserted that Middle East allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait would prefer the status quo. In a phone interview with CNN on Sunday, he said that as long as negotiations with Iran show progress and Tehran signs a strong agreement, it is highly unlikely it will be necessary to resume strikes.
Qatari officials last week presented proposals on Iran's nuclear program, according to two Middle East government officials familiar with the matter, and the White House declined to comment. Tehran continues to insist on concessions before engaging in nuclear talks, including ending the US blockade on Iran's ports, lifting sanctions, unfreezing its assets, issuing compensation for war damage and ending hostilities throughout the region, including Israeli operations in Lebanon. The Associated Press reported that the US military has carried out limited strikes on Iran, including against its air defences, at least twice over the past week, and on Saturday fired on and disabled a commercial ship it says was trying to breach the blockade. Trump said the United States had identified infrastructure targets, including 38 bridges, that it would strike if military action resumes.
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Photo: Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons 词条主图：Prime minister
