Washington DC: US President Donald Trump warned that Iran could face devastating consequences if it attempts to target American cities, stressing that Washington would not allow Tehran to acquire or use a nuclear weapon.
Speaking at an event in San Antonio, Texas, Trump said the potential consequences of an Iranian missile strike on cities such as San Diego or Los Angeles would be severe.
“You want to see a horror show?” Trump said, referring to the possibility of Iran targeting the United States. He added that such an attack could send the country into “freefall.”
Trump also reiterated his warning about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, saying Tehran would use a nuclear weapon if it were able to obtain one.
“We’re not going to let that happen. We protect our cities. We protect our country,” Trump said. “And they’d use it, too. They’d use it. They would use it.”
Trump’s remarks came as the US-Iran conflict continues to affect energy markets and shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The president also claimed that Iran was losing its ability to sustain the conflict, describing the country as a “failed nation” with “little spunk left.”
Trump said the United States had moved more oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the previous three nights than at any point in the waterway’s history.
“Texas … is now producing more oil than at any time in its history,” Trump said, adding that the state was helping supply energy to global markets.
He predicted that the conflict would end “very soon” and said increased US oil production would help meet global demand.
Oil prices have remained elevated amid the war between the United States and Iran and wider instability in the Middle East. However, gasoline prices in the United States have eased slightly over the past week.
According to AAA estimates cited in the remarks, the average U.S. gasoline price fell from $4.41 a gallon to $4.36.
Trump’s comments underscore the administration’s focus on preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability while maintaining energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil shipments.
