Washington: US President Donald Trump raised the prospect of further military action against Iran on Thursday (local time), even as senior House Democrats outlined plans to force votes to end the war and demand answers about its objectives and costs.
“I would rather not destroy the rest of the country, if possible, but maybe I’ll have to. You’ll know soon enough,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
He gave no timetable or targets for further action and did not announce that new strikes had been ordered.
The warning came as Democrats prepared their foreign-policy agenda for the next Congress, with Representative Gregory Meeks promising resolutions to terminate the conflict and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark questioning its goals and exit strategy.
Their statements preceded Trump’s latest remarks. They set out the congressional opposition confronting his Iran policy, rather than responses to Thursday afternoon’s warning.
Speaking during an Oval Office event, Trump defended the military campaign and said a decision would be made on whether to go further. He also reiterated his position that Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon.
Asked about reports of proposals concerning Tehran’s nuclear programme, he said: “They’re not doing anything without our approval.”
Trump did not confirm the substance of any proposal or describe an agreed negotiating framework. His remarks left both the scope of potential military action and the diplomatic route unspecified.
Meeks, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, set out his plans in a November 4 letter seeking colleagues’ support to become its chairman.
“On the legislative front, I intend to bring resolutions to the floor to immediately terminate the President’s war with Iran and will prioritize clawing back Congress’s proper role in the making of American foreign policy,” he wrote.
The letter also proposed demanding public testimony from senior administration officials about the Iran war, Venezuela and disputes over congressional authority on military action and trade.
Meeks was describing an intended legislative and oversight agenda. The letter did not establish a date for a vote or identify a newly introduced resolution implementing that pledge.
Earlier, Clark told CNN that Democrats would press the administration about continued funding for the conflict and how it intended to bring American troops home safely.
Her office circulated excerpts of the interview before Trump’s afternoon remarks.
Clark accused the president of taking the country into “a reckless war that had no exit strategy, had no clear goals”, and blamed the conflict for increasing pressure on household fuel costs.
She said Democrats would seek discussions about the administration’s objectives and how to end the war while protecting Americans and US troops.
The two Democrats emphasised different avenues for challenging the administration: Meeks proposed floor resolutions and testimony, while Clark focused on funding, public costs and an exit strategy. Neither statement amounted to a new restriction already imposed on the president.
The Gulf conflict also concerns major Asian energy importers, including India. The International Energy Agency identifies the Strait of Hormuz as a critical oil transit route and lists India, China and Japan among the principal destinations for oil leaving the waterway.
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