ISTANBUL
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that American military operations against Iran have been highly successful and suggested that the war is approaching a conclusion.
“We’re doing great,” Trump told NBC News. “And it’s coming to an end.”
Trump said earlier in the day that the military operation, now in its fifth week, was ahead of schedule, noting that the US was two weeks ahead of the four- to six-week timeline originally projected.
The president asserted that his forces have "decimated" the Iranian military since the beginning of hostilities. He characterized the current Iranian officials as being "much more reasonable" and less "radicalized" than those who previously held power in Tehran.
The remarks echo Trump's recent comments to the New York Post, in which he said Washington was negotiating with Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and the new Iranian leadership had been easier to work with. He previously described the shift as "total regime change."
The war, which began Feb. 28, has resulted in the deaths of more than 1,340 people in Iran, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In response to the US and Israeli strikes, Iran launched missile and drone attacks across the region, affecting several neighboring countries and global aviation.