US President Donald Trump has stated that the ongoing military operation by the United States and Israel in Iran could conclude within approximately four weeks or less.
In an interview with the British newspaper Daily Mail on Sunday (March 1), Trump said that due to Iran being a large and powerful country, the operation is typically expected to last around four weeks according to plans. He expressed hope that the operation would conclude within the estimated timeframe.
Earlier, Trump warned in a video message on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the military operation in Iran is ongoing and will continue until all of Washington’s objectives are achieved. In his words, “The military operation will run at full throttle and will not stop until all objectives are met.”
Meanwhile, in an interview given to the American magazine The Atlantic on the same morning, Trump claimed that Iranian leaders are interested in engaging in discussions with him, and he has also agreed to talks. In the phone interview from Mar-a-Lago resort, he stated, “They want to talk, and I am ready. It would have been better if they had done it earlier; now it’s too late.”
Responding to a question about when the talks would begin, Trump declined to specify a timeframe. He further added that many Iranian officials recently involved in discussions are no longer alive, which he referred to as a significant blow.
Separately, a White House official informed Al Jazeera that President Trump is prepared to engage in discussions with Iran’s new leadership. The official stated that the post-Khamenei leadership has shown interest in talks with the United States.
On the other hand, a statement from Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi that Tehran is ready for any initiative to de-escalate tensions. Oman had been playing a mediating role in the recent indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the US.
Amidst the ongoing indirect nuclear talks, Israel launched an attack on Iran early last Saturday (February 28), with the United States later joining in. Explosions were reported in Tehran and various other cities during the attack.
In response to the attacks, Iran launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli positions and US military bases in the Middle East. Explosions were heard in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
The situation is rapidly evolving amidst intense clashes that have been ongoing for the past two days. As of Sunday (March 1) morning, information from the Iranian Red Crescent Society and state media indicates that at least 201 people have been killed and 747 injured in the attacks.
Among the casualties are several top security officials, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Additionally, the country’s state media has confirmed the deaths of Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, Defense Minister, and other senior military and security officials.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command reported that three American soldiers have been killed and five seriously injured in the ongoing conflict. Furthermore, at least nine deaths have been reported in Beit Shemesh, Israel.
The situation remains extremely volatile, and it is feared that the number of casualties and damages could increase further.