Trump: New military action against Iran not necessary at present

US President Donald Trump said he did not consider new military action against Iran necessary at this stage, but that the US was maintaining its preparations for possible developments. Speaking at a press conference at the White House, Trump said talks with Tehran were progressing positively and voiced his expectation that the conflict could end soon.

“At the moment, military action does not seem particularly necessary, but we are ready for every possibility,” Trump said. The US president said he saw momentum towards ending the war, but offered no guarantees about the outcome of the process.

Military readiness maintained as talks continue

Trump said the US was maintaining the status quo and was ready to respond if Iran took steps in the opposite direction. Saying that the US had another aircraft carrier as part of its military preparations, Trump said he hoped they would not have to use these capabilities.

Trump reiterated that he remained hopeful of reaching an agreement with Iran and that the contacts being held for this purpose were going well. He also repeated his position that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons.

Task force and blockade on the agenda

In a social media post, Trump said he had discussed Iran with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He claimed that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait supported the continuation of the US task force known as “Iron Gate” and the naval blockade.

Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of US Central Command, announced the establishment of the task force on 7 November. The announcement said its aim was to prevent advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies and sanctioned materials from being transported to Iran across its land borders and via the Caspian Sea.