The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Friday that the Iranian armed forces have been virtually destroyed, claiming that the army, navy, and communications of the country have "disappeared."
"His army has disappeared. His navy has disappeared. His communications have disappeared. His leaders have disappeared. Two groups of his leaders have disappeared. Only a third group remains. His Air Force has been completely annihilated. Think about it," Trump declared during a public address.
The words of the American president come amidst a significant escalation of tensions in the Middle East and recent clashes involving Iran and U.S. allies in the region.
In the morning, Trump also stated that there will be no agreement with Iran until the country accepts "unconditional surrender."
In statements to CNN, the president added that he is not concerned about whether Iran becomes a democratic state or not, "what he seeks is a leadership that treats the United States well, Israel, and Washington's allies in the Middle East," the outlet reported.
However, Trump's claims have generated skepticism among analysts, international observers, and social media users, who question the truthfulness or the actual extent of the damages described by the president.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, stated that Iran is a challenging adversary and warned that the war "could spiral out of anyone's control," urging for serious diplomatic negotiations to halt the fighting.
For his part, the commander of the United States Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, assured that the ongoing military operations against Iran have entered a phase focused on preventing the country from rebuilding its military capacity in the future.
So far, no independent reports have been released confirming that the Iranian armed forces have been completely eliminated, as suggested by Trump.
Experts in international security point out that, although Iran has faced military setbacks at various times of regional tension, the country maintains military structures, including its Revolutionary Guard, naval forces, and missile capabilities.
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