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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, declared this Tuesday that he does not need NATO's support to deal with the war in Iran, stating that Washington has already achieved a military victory over the Islamic Republic, according to reported by the EFE agency from the White House.
"La NATO disappointed me deeply. NATO wasn't there when we needed it. We don't need NATO, but if we did, they simply weren't there," Trump told reporters just before departing for Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The leader reiterated that they will not require "any help" from their partners in the conflict. "We will win one way or another. We will win through peaceful means or in any other way," he added.
The war against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28 with coordinated airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure, without prior consultation with NATO allies.
No member country of the alliance committed military forces: 22 nations signed only a diplomatic declaration of support and conditioned any assistance on a ceasefire.
Tensions with European allies escalated when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz claimed that the U.S. had been "humiliated" by Tehran during the peace negotiations, prompting Trump to order the withdrawal of about 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, a number that could increase.
Merz responded harshly: "If you want us to help you, call us first."
Spain has also faced criticism from Trump for refusing to authorize the use of the military bases of Rota and Morón for operations related to the conflict, citing the bilateral defense agreement of 1988.
The president even threatened to impose a trade embargo against Madrid as retaliation, and the Spanish Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, confirmed that she made it "very clear" to the American military that Spanish bases and airspace were not authorized.
Regarding the state of the conflict, Trump stated that the ceasefire is at its most fragile moment after calling Iran's response to Washington's peace proposal "completely unacceptable."
However, the leader indicated that he is in no rush to finalize an agreement, as the naval blockade off the Iranian coast and ports gives him an advantage in the dialogue.
The uncertainty surrounding the conflict was reflected in the markets this Tuesday: Texas oil rose by 4.19% to 102 dollars per barrel due to the lack of agreement between both parties.
Regarding his trip to Beijing, Trump dismissed the notion that Iran would be a central topic in his meeting with Xi, scheduled for Thursday and Friday. “We have Iran very much under control. Either we will reach an agreement, or the Iranians will be dealt a significant blow; one way or another, we are going to win,” he stated.
The visit to China, the first by a U.S. president in nearly nine years, occurs against the backdrop of the war in Iran, including the alleged Chinese shipments of weapons to Tehran, a claim that Xi denied in what Trump described as a "beautiful letter".
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