ISTANBUL 

US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on Iran are out of step with the realities of the war, according to an editorial published Thursday by French newspaper Le Monde.

The editorial said a “glaring gap” has emerged between Trump’s satisfaction with the conflict's progress and the situation on the ground.

It noted that Trump announced further strikes over the next “two or three weeks” but failed to outline a concrete strategy for ending hostilities or reviving diplomatic efforts.

Describing the conflict as a “war of choice,” the editorial said military action alone would not be sufficient to deter Iran in the long term.

It also warned that diplomacy has been effectively sidelined, with the path to negotiations “buried under American and Israeli bombs.”

The newspaper said that while US and Israeli forces have inflicted significant military damage, Iran has demonstrated resilience, including through its response in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Tehran has turned what Trump described as a 'small excursion' into the beginnings of a quagmire," it added. 

Le Monde also criticized Trump for backing away from the idea of regime change as well as responsibility for reopening Hormuz.

It added that Trump's recent criticism of NATO reveals weakness.

"If the war were as successful as Trump claims, he would not be seeking scapegoats so erratically," it said.