Washington, Updated At : 09:42 AM Apr 02, 2026 IST
US President Donald Trump told the nation in a televised speech Wednesday night that the US military had nearly accomplished its goals in Iran, but he declined to offer a concrete timeline for winding down the conflict.
Facing a war-wary public, slipping approval ratings and pressure from allies to clarify his aims, Trump said the US had destroyed Iran’s navy and air force and crippled its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. He said the US would continue to hit targets in Iran over the next two to three weeks and assured viewers the US would finish the job “very fast,” while glossing over unresolved issues such as the status of Iran’s enriched uranium and access through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed since the US and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.
He suggested the war could escalate if Iranian leaders did not accept US terms in negotiations, saying strikes on Iran’s energy and oil infrastructure were possible. “I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly. We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We’re going to bring them back to the stone ages where they belong,” Trump said. “In the meantime, discussions are ongoing… The new group is less radical and much more reasonable. Yet if during this period of time, no deal is made, we have our eyes on key targets.”
Trump briefly addressed domestic concerns, saying gasoline prices would soon fall and blaming the increases on Iranian attacks on commercial tankers. The conflict, now in its fifth week, continues to draw public unease; markets reacted as stocks fell, the dollar firmed and oil prices rose after the address.
