U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran would never be able to possess nuclear weapons.
Speaking at the White House about the restructuring of the U.S. steel industry following the September 11 attacks, Trump argued that the naval blockade imposed on Iran had been effective. He said Iran had been heavily punished and taught a harsh lesson.
Trump claimed that Iran had come very close to obtaining nuclear weapons but said the country now had no possibility of possessing such a weapon. The U.S. president said that, because of these developments, the two sides were still engaged in a war.
Trump also claimed that the naval blockade imposed by the U.S. Navy had largely enabled oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Clashes between Iran and the United States
The clashes began on February 28 with attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, while Iran responded with attacks on Israel and U.S. targets in the region.
Washington and Tehran signed an agreement on June 18 concerning freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, but implementation was disrupted by disputes over the strait's security.
The United States resumed its attacks on Iran between July 8 and 24, while Iran targeted U.S. military facilities and equipment in some Arab countries.