Pic ture : @WhiteHouse/X
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran’s missile capabilities have been severely degraded, saying Tehran now possesses only a fraction of the arsenal it had before recent hostilities.
In an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press, Trump asserted that the United States had “totally destroyed” the Iranian military apparatus. He estimated that the country retains only a limited portion of its ballistic stockpile.
“I would say, percentage-wise, maybe 21, 22 percent of their missiles,” Trump noted in remarks circulated online.
The US President further commented, “It’s a lot of missiles, but it’s not what it was when we first attacked.”
However, Trump’s perspective stands in stark contrast to data reportedly provided to lawmakers by US intelligence agencies. According to a report published by The New York Times, congressional briefings last month indicated that Tehran had successfully restored operational control over 30 of its 33 missile installations situated along the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The briefings also suggested that Iran still holds roughly 70 percent of its pre-conflict missile inventory.
The US President also voiced confidence regarding a swift conclusion to the ongoing disruptions plaguing the Strait of Hormuz. When questioned about the volume of commercial oil tankers his administration has successfully escorted through the vital maritime corridor, Trump responded: “A lot. I don’t want say how many, but a lot.”
Predicting a rapid end to the regional friction, the US President declared, “It shouldn’t take long. One way or the other, it’s going to get done. And when it’s all straightened out, you’re going to have oil prices drop down to maybe even lower than they were.”
These assertions come at a time when Trump and the Republican Party are navigating intense domestic political heat over surging pump prices across the United States, ahead of the fast-approaching midterm elections.
