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Trump declares Iran 'dead' after war, cites military successes
Confirmed
The goals of the operation, Trump said, were to destroy Iran’s nuclear ambitions, its naval capabilities and missile industry and to ensure that Official Iranian proxies — including Hezbollah and Hamas — were thwarted. Here is a recap of notable comments Trump made in public remarks and on social media during half a year of war: What he said: “ The United States military has undertaken a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.
He said that the U.S. “wiped out” the Official Iranian navy, air force, drone manufacturing capabilities and “every form of leadership you can have,” adding that he was interested in being a part of the selection of Iran’s new leader.
The day after Trump said Iranians had no existing leadership prospects, Mojtaba Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, one of Ayatollah Ali Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s sons, would become the new supreme leader.
He said Iran could attempt to target "U.S. economic assets in the Gulf," ports or U.S. vessels involved in enforcing the blockade, even as its missile-production capabilities have been degraded. Trump also claimed Official Iranian inflation had reached 300% and said the country's leadership was "in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country.
Miad Maleki said Official Iranian exports have fallen dramatically and Tehran is increasingly struggling to repatriate revenue from the oil it can sell. According to Iran’s Red Crescent, 24 of Iran’s 32 provinces were hit in the first day of bombings, with more than 200 deaths and 700 injuries reported.
Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles toward U.S. bases in Jordan, while Jordan said it intercepted eight missiles that entered its airspace. As days, weeks and months passed, he repeatedly said that an agreement to end the conflict was close at hand and that Iran was already defeated.
Trump announced that at least three service members were killed in an Official Iranian attack, the first U.S. casualties in the war. Miad Maleki said Tehran is increasingly relying on money creation rather than cutting politically sensitive salaries and pensions.
Miad Maleki argued that the critical pressure point is Iran's ability to turn oil exports into usable revenue. He also said that he believed the strike on the Minab school was a misdirected missile launched by Iran.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Trump also claimed Official Iranian inflation had reached 300% and said the country's leadership was "in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country.
- U.S. forces struck two Official Iranian launchers on Larak Island Sunday after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz , according…
- Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles toward U.S. bases in Jordan, while Jordan said it intercepted eight missiles that entered its airspace.
- President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran's exports and imports have fallen nearly 35% because of U.S. sanctions and the naval blockade, while annual inflation reached 66% in July, Reuters reported Aug. 29.
- "I think where we stand today, it's very clear — we see very clear signs, indications of what I would call an economy that is on the verge of collapse, if it hasn't already collapsed yet," Miad Maleki said.
- Miad Maleki argued that the critical pressure point is Iran's ability to turn oil exports into usable revenue.
- Miad Maleki said Official Iranian exports have fallen dramatically and Tehran is increasingly struggling to repatriate revenue from the oil it can sell.
- Kpler data cited by Reuters showed Chinese imports of Official Iranian crude falling from an average 1.4 million barrels per day in 2025 to a provisional 534,000 barrels per day so far in August.