Trump rules out nuclear use in Iran conflict as Strait of Hormuz tensions escalate

US President Trump has said he would not use a nuclear weapon in any conflict with Iran. He emphasized that such weapons “should never be allowed to be used by anybody.” 

According to reports from the White House, Trump said the US has already achieved significant conventional military success and does not need nuclear escalation.

He stated: “Why would I use a nuclear weapon? We’ve totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it.” Furthermore, he claimed that a nuclear strike would be catastrophic for global security. 

He warned that nuclear weapons could “destroy cities” and potentially trigger a wider regional or global crisis.

Moreover, President Trump said that he is in no rush to finalize a long-term peace deal with Iran. He said Iran’s military is not as strong as it used to be, also mentioning that Tehran may have attempted to reinforce its forces during a temporary ceasefire period. 

“Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone,” he said, adding that any remaining assets could be quickly nullified.

His remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime security concerns have increased following reported seizures of commercial vessels and rising asymmetric threats from fast-attack boats. Maritime analysts say Iran is still using fast boats, drones and missiles as part of its naval strategy.

Iran has given some countries, including Russia permission to use the Strait of Hormuz for free. Iran is also thinking about charging ships to use the Strait. 

These developments are making the Strait of Hormuz an unstable place. It handles a lot of the world’s oil and gas shipments. One-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments go through the Strait of Hormuz.