Obama slams Trump over Iran war, says conflict was unnecessary

Former US President Barack Obama has rejected President Donald Trump’s narrative on Iran, saying the country’s nuclear programme was cited as the main justification for the war despite Iran not possessing nuclear weapons.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Obama made the remarks while addressing a rally in the US state of Ohio, where he criticised several decisions made by the current president. He described the decision to launch an unnecessary war as the most significant of those mistakes.

Obama said Trump had started a war that nobody had asked for, questioning the rationale behind the military campaign.

Describing the Trump administration as deeply incompetent, the former president said that seven months after the declaration of victory over Iran, US allies and military bases had come under attack, American personnel had been killed and wounded, and the country’s missile stockpiles had been depleted.

Obama also claimed that Iran had effectively gained veto power over the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to rising oil prices.

Highlighting the economic consequences of the conflict, the former president said the war was also a major factor behind the rising cost of goods, adding to the financial pressure on American consumers.