Washington [US], April 7: US President Donald Trump on Monday acknowledged that the American people would like the United States to "come home from Iran." "Unfortunately, the American people would like to see us come home," Trump said at an Easter event at the White House.
He added, "If I had my choice, what would I like to do? Take the oil, because it's there for the taking. There's not a thing they can do about it."
Trump said that if it were up to him, he would take the oil, keep it and "make plenty of money." He said that he would also take care of the people of Iran much better than they have been taken care of but that he also wanted to make the people of the United States happy.
Trump said that US forces were "obliterating Iran" and that he hated to do this. But he also warned that if they did not want to "say uncle" - to submit - "they'll have no bridges, they'll have no power plants."
Turning to anti-government protests that began in Iran at the end of December, he said: "It's been horrible. They've killed 45,000 people as of a month and a half ago, 45,000 protesters. We don't do that," Trump said.
Trump has repeatedly spoken of seizing Iran's oil since the current war began on February 28 with US and Israeli bombing of Iranian leaders and military installations.
Later, Trump started a news conference by saying the administration will "celebrate the success" of the rescue operation of two US Air Force members shot down over Iran over the weekend.
He said similar missions aren't usually attempted, but adds there was "great talent" involved - but we got a bit of luck too, he adds.
Trump described the operation as "historic" and said it shows that in the US military, "we leave no American behind".
Trump said the rescue mission to retrieve the second US airman, who was still trapped in Iran days after the first was rescued, involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refuelling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft, and more.
"We're doing unbelievably well," he said of the ongoing war against Iran.
He then made a reference to Tuesday night's deadline for attacks against Iranian energy and transportation infrastructure if Iran doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump called Iran "evil" and doubled down on threats against the country's civilian infrastructure that he posted on social media earlier.
"The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night," he said.
The US president has repeatedly issued - and delayed - a deadline for Tehran to lift its blockade of the key waterway, warning that Iran would otherwise face attacks on energy facilities and other civilian infrastructure.
Source: Qatar Tribune