Washington, March 8 (NationPress) President Donald Trump asserted that the United States has significantly diminished Iran’s military strength after a week of conflict, indicating that Washington possesses considerable negotiating power but is not currently seeking a resolution with Tehran.

During a briefing with reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump characterized the initial stages of the confrontation as a critical blow to Iran’s military capabilities. A joint military operation involving the United States and Israel was launched against Iran on February 28.

“We have completely dismantled their Navy, taking out 44 ships. Their Air Force is gone—every single plane,” Trump stated. He elaborated that U.S. airstrikes have also severely compromised Iran’s missile systems and launch infrastructure.

“Approximately 70 percent of their rocket launchers have been destroyed,” he added, noting the high cost and difficulty in acquiring such systems.

Trump emphasized that the reduction in both launchers and manufacturing capability has drastically weakened Iran's ability to retaliate. “They are currently operating at about 9 percent of their initial output in the first two days,” he remarked.

According to Trump, the Iranian military is on the verge of collapse. “Their military is nearly non-existent,” he claimed.

When asked how long the conflict might persist, Trump refrained from making predictions, stating, “I don’t know. We will continue as long as necessary.”

He also hinted that the ongoing conflict has altered Iran’s leadership dynamics. “We have eliminated one layer of leadership, and then the second,” he said, suggesting that Iran is now functioning under leaders who are largely unknown.

Despite the ongoing military pressure, Trump indicated that the U.S. is not in a rush for diplomatic talks. “We possess substantial negotiating leverage. Perhaps maximum leverage,” he mentioned. “They might want to negotiate, but we are not seeking a settlement.”

Trump pointed to Iran's recent apologies to neighboring Middle Eastern countries following earlier aggressions as a sign of Tehran's retreat. “They apologized to the Middle Eastern nations they attacked,” he noted. “That’s indicative of surrender,” he added.

The president also dismissed claims that U.S. forces targeted a girls’ school in Iran during the conflict's onset. “From what I have seen, that attack was carried out by Iran,” Trump stated. When questioned about potential Russian support for Tehran, he replied he had seen no such evidence. “No, I haven’t noticed any indication of that at all,” he remarked.

Trump further ruled out allowing Kurdish forces to join the conflict, despite their willingness. “We have a good relationship with the Kurds, but we don’t want to complicate the war further,” he stated, later adding, “I don’t support Kurdish involvement.”

When asked if Iran’s territorial integrity might change post-war, Trump suggested it was a possibility. “Probably not,” he said when asked if the country would remain the same after the conflict.

Trump concluded that the military campaign aims to permanently diminish Iran’s capacity to threaten regional stability. “When this concludes, we will have a much safer world,” he declared.