“And before we begin, I think I will say a few words about what's going on with respect to our operation in the country of Iran,” Trump said. “The United States military, together with the wonderful Israeli partners, continues to totally demolish the enemy far ahead of schedule, and at levels that people have never seen before, actually. We're destroying more of Iran's missiles and drone capability every single hour, knocking them out like nobody thought was possible.”
“Their Navy is gone. Twenty-four ships in three days. That's a lot of ships. Their anti-aircraft weapons are gone. So they have no Air Force. They have no air defense. All of their airplanes are gone. Their communications are gone. Missiles are gone. Launchers are gone. About 60 percent and 64 percent, respectively,” he said.
The president also stated that Iranian forces are seeking negotiations, but said that it was too little, too late. “They're tough, and they want to fight. And they're calling, they're saying, how do we make a deal? I said, you're being a little bit late. And we want to fight now more than they do,” Trump said.
Trump framed the conflict in a broader historical context, referencing attacks linked to the IRGC and Qasem Soleimani. “We've had 47 years, depending on the way you count it, but 47 years of horror with this group. When you see somebody walking down the street without their legs, without the arms, whose face is so badly affected and hurt, it mostly came from 95 percent Soleimani and Iran,” he said.
“Our people are doing a great job. Again, the greatest military anyone's seen,” Trump stated.
"I'm once again calling on all members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the military, and the police to lay down their arms. They're only going to be killed. Now is the time to stand up for the Iranian people and help take back your country. You're gonna have a chance after all these years, take back your country. Accept immunity, we'll give you immunity. And we’ll be giving you really, the right side of history, because that’s what it is. So you’ll be perfectly safe with total immunity, or you’ll face absolutely guaranteed death. And I don't want to see that, they don't want to see it either.
"We also urge Iranian diplomats around the world to request asylum and to help us shape a new and better Iran,” Trump said, calling it the beginning of a “great future” for the country. “The United States will ensure that whoever leads the country next, Iran will not threaten America or its neighbours—Israel, anybody.”
