Iran no longer a 'very strong, powerful terrorist state' after Operation Epic Fury, Leavitt says
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Iran is no longer a "very strong, powerful terrorist state" following Operation Epic Fury.
- She claimed Iran's leadership remains in contact with the US and is interested in a new deal after a previous memorandum of understanding collapsed due to Tehran's violations.
- Leavitt asserted that American strikes have "neutered" Iran's leadership, turning it into a "fragmented system."
Iran is no longer the "very strong, powerful terrorist state" it once was, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted Wednesday, attributing the change to the U.S. Operation Epic Fury. Leavitt claimed that Iran's leadership is still communicating with the United States and seeking another peace deal, following the recent breakdown of a U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding.
not the once very strong, powerful terrorist state that they were
The previous agreement collapsed because Tehran violated its terms, specifically by firing on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Leavitt explained. "President Trump is not going to sit by and allow these active acts of terror to take place in the strait without ensuring Iran pays consequences for that, and thatโs what weโre witnessing right now," she stated.
In the MoU that they signed, they were not to fire on commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Unfortunately, they have made the tragic decisionโฆ to do that.
Leavitt highlighted that Iran's actions in the strait validate the reasoning behind Operation Epic Fury, launched in February. However, she added that President Trump remains "always open and willing to [engage in] diplomacy." The press secretary also boasted that American strikes have "neutered" Iran's leadership's ability to communicate, effectively transforming the regime into a "fragmented system."
President Trump is not going to sit by and allow these active acts of terror to take place in the strait without ensuring Iran pays consequences for that, and thatโs what weโre witnessing right now.
Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.