▲ U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz
Mike Waltz, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, warned Iran on Saturday (local time) that the U.S. military will continue to carry out military operations against the country for its ongoing attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
In an interview with Fox News that day, Ambassador Waltz stated, "If the Iranian regime thinks that President (Donald) Trump will just sit by and watch while they continue to attack international shipping or our bases for even a moment, they are unfortunately mistaken."
He further emphasized, "We will continue to neutralize their infrastructure if they attempt to illegally control international waterways when necessary."
Waltz's remarks are interpreted as an extension of President Trump's threat from the previous day. Via social media, Trump suggested the possibility of resuming large-scale military operations in response to Iran's repeated attacks on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and on U.S. military bases in the Middle East, warning that if it becomes a reality, "Iran will no longer exist."
Ambassador Waltz noted that working-level discussions regarding Iran's nuclear program are currently underway between the U.S. and Iran following the signing of a previous memorandum of understanding (MOU). He warned, "President Trump will always give a chance for a diplomatic solution," but added, "The President's patience is not infinite."
He added that Middle Eastern oil-producing nations, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, are developing alternative crude oil export routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, and that the U.S. is also strengthening security at its Middle East bases. "Iran's leverage is shrinking, and our leverage is growing," he said. "It would be wise for Iran to pursue a diplomatic solution and step back from its obsession with nuclear weapons."
(Photo: Getty Images Korea)
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