Trump says US will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said the United States will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, warning that such an outcome would place Israel, Europe and the United States under direct threat. In an interview with Fox News, Trump argued that if Iran acquired the weapon, the Middle East would "almost cease to exist" and said the US would have to intervene in the region to prevent Iran from using a nuclear weapon against Israel, regional states or potentially the US. Addressing the situation around the Strait of Hormuz, Trump claimed the US would have "near total control" of the waterway after winning the conflict and that American forces had cleared the mines with limited international support. He also described Iran as a "failed state" because of the US port blockade and financial pressure. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters that Washington would impose secondary sanctions on Iran starting with the banking sector on a weekly basis. He said US authorities had informed banks that holding Iranian funds and aiding the Iranian regime is unacceptable, and noted that the port blockade has reduced China's imports of Iranian oil. The statements came amid a military escalation between Washington and Tehran around the Strait of Hormuz in recent hours.