Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Nov 13: US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that the country could face severe consequences if it targets American officials, saying the Islamic Republic would "not exist any longer" if it carries out such attacks.
Trump's warning came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was shifted from his residence in Washington to a military base following reported threats to his life from Iran.
Speaking to Salem News Channel in a telephonic interview on Thursday, Trump said the United States would not hesitate to use military force if Iran threatened American officials or its allies in the Middle East.
Asked about the reported threat against Bessent, Trump said, "They will not exist any longer."
The US President also said he would consider it a defeat if Iran's current regime remained in power after the end of his second term. However, he expressed confidence that Tehran would be defeated, claiming that the US military operation against Iran was progressing successfully.
"Yes, that would be a defeat," Trump said when asked whether the survival of the current Iranian regime would amount to a failure.
Claiming that American forces were making progress, Trump said the US had been conducting military operations at an intense pace for three weeks. He also made remarks about oil-related operations and casualties during the conflict.
The comments come amid continuing tensions in the Middle East. Israel's outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly been urging Trump to resume strikes on Iran, while regional leaders have called for restraint.
Earlier this week, Trump said he would work to prevent further escalation. He also noted that the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait had stressed that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is intended for civilian purposes and not for developing nuclear weapons. Tehran has also said that a peace agreement with Washington would require the acceptance of its seven demands, including the lifting of the blockade and the unfreezing of Iranian assets.