US President Donald Trump stated that the United States could theoretically consider conducting a ground military operation on the territory of Iran, however, such a step is possible only with a "very compelling reason." He said this during a conversation with journalists aboard the presidential plane.
In response to a question about the possible deployment of American troops in Iran, Trump initially dodged a direct answer, noting that he does not consider this topic suitable for discussion at the moment. Nevertheless, he later allowed that such a scenario cannot be completely ruled out.
According to the president, if the United States ever decides on a ground operation, it will be due to extraordinary circumstances. He emphasized that it can only be about a situation that will have exceptional importance for national security.
"It is possible, but only for a very compelling reason — truly very compelling," Trump said. He added that, in his opinion, the Iranian armed forces have already suffered serious losses and are unable to conduct full-scale ground combat.
Journalists also asked whether a potential U.S. ground intervention could be related to the task of seizing stockpiles of enriched uranium accumulated by Iran as part of its nuclear program. Trump allowed that such a question "may arise at some stage," but he did not disclose details of possible actions.
The statements of the American president came against the backdrop of the ongoing military confrontation. As of March 8, the operation being conducted by the United States and Israel against Iran has been ongoing for eight days.
Earlier, Trump stated that he considers the unconditional surrender of Tehran to be the only acceptable outcome of the conflict. According to him, the naval and air forces of Iran have been virtually completely incapacitated as a result of strikes.
In response, the Iranian leadership sharply rejected such statements. The president of the country emphasized that the American leader can "only dream" of Iran's surrender and promised to continue resistance.
Experts note that the further development of the conflict could seriously affect the situation in the Middle East and global security, especially considering the tensions surrounding the Iranian nuclear program.