Tehran | March 12: A senior military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader has strongly criticised US President Donald Trump, calling him “the most corrupt and stupid American president” and even describing him as “Satan himself” during an interview with Iranian state television.
Yahya Rahim Safavi, a key military adviser to Iran’s leadership, made the remarks as tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel continue to escalate amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Safavi also repeated Iran’s long-standing stance against Israel, claiming that the two nations cannot coexist in the region.“In the Middle East region, Israel and Iran cannot be together. One of them must remain. The one that remains is Iran, and the one that is destroyed is definitely the Zionist regime,” he said.
Iran Warns of Prolonged War
Iranian officials have warned that the conflict with the United States and Israel could turn into a prolonged war that may severely affect the global economy. Fighting around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route that carries nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, has already shaken global energy markets.
Oil prices have surged since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran that reportedly killed the country’s supreme leader, pushing the region into a deeper conflict.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks, which have disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and forced governments worldwide to take emergency measures to stabilize energy supplies.
Trump Says Iran Near Defeat
Speaking to reporters, President Trump claimed that Iran was close to defeat, saying its naval and air forces had been destroyed and that the country was running out of missiles.
“Doesn’t mean we’re going to end it immediately, but they are pretty much at the end of the line,” Trump said.
He also warned that the United States could disable Iran’s electricity infrastructure within an hour, although he suggested restraint to avoid long-term devastation that could make rebuilding the country extremely difficult.
The US administration announced plans to release 172 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves starting next week to stabilize global markets. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency has agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil to address supply concerns.
However, Israel’s military indicated that its operations are still ongoing, stating that it still has a “broad bank of targets” inside Iran.
