U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that if other countries have ballistic missiles, it is unfair that Iran does not have any missiles
In a speech from Paris airport on Wednesday evening, Trump added "no" to Iran alone, while many countries in the region have these missiles, which is not fair. Ballistic missiles are not the same thing as nuclear weapons."
"If countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have these missiles, then from a relative and proportionate perspective I can say that their presence with Iran is not a problem," Trump said, referring to advisers without naming them, saying, "I like some of these guys, but I don't think they're smart. They told me, sir, you shouldn't allow them to have any missiles."
"I said, 'Well, what am I going to do? They said, "Yes, sir, and I told them, 'Things don't go this way, you know, things don't go that way, and missiles are not the problem.. missiles do little damage to a site, but they don't destroy the planet.'"
Asked why he accepted Iran would retain some of these capabilities, Trump argued during the press conference that "Tehran has fewer missiles than the 'other' countries," adding, "We have destroyed between 84 and 85 percent of their missiles. The rest is underground and they can't even get it out, you know."
In mid-May, the New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence agencies estimated that Iran held about 70 percent of its mobile launch pads and about 70 percent of its pre-war missile stockpile, which includes ballistic missiles and smaller cruise missiles.
What did President Trump say about Iran's funds and sanctions?
Trump made a striking appearance during his meeting with reporters on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in France, where he spoke clearly about the frozen Iranian funds and the sanctions imposed on Tehran, distinguishing between returning Iran's money and giving it American money.
Trump said the U.S. has "taken a lot of Iran's money" over the past years, explaining that this money does not belong to Washington, but rather "Iranian money that has been frozen at a specific time," adding, "I think we're going to have to return it ... Otherwise, countries will risk not investing in dollars."
Trump stressed that he would not give Iran any US money, but on the other hand, he does not oppose the release of its frozen assets because, as he put it, it belongs to Iran and not a US grant.
In a related context, Trump referred to what was stated in the draft memorandum of understanding consisting of 14 points, which includes a US-regional plan for the reconstruction of Iran worth $300 billion, and the mechanism for its implementation will be specified in the final agreement. However, he stressed that these funds will not be disbursed unless Tehran abides by the terms of the agreement, especially with regard to the nuclear file.
"We have sanctions that will not allow them to rebuild," Trump said. They will not have money... They will reach extreme poverty, stressing that any investment or financial support will only be provided to Iran if it "does its job to the fullest," and that the reconstruction fund will not be activated until Tehran is fully committed.
Vance: Trump doesn't want Pahlavi installed as leader
US Vice President J.D. Vance has stated that President Donald Trump has never sought to restore Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah of Iran, to power.
This came during an interview with American journalist Megyn Kelly that was broadcast on her YouTube channel, explaining that Trump does not aim to "change the regime" in Iran, stressing: "The American president has never said that his goal is to install Reza Pahlavi as the new leader of Iran."
The US vice president added that any move or uprising by the Iranian people against the current administration is a decision that concerns them alone, and if the Iranian people want to rise up, it is a great thing, but it is their own business, and an issue that belongs to the Iranian people and their government.
He described the memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran as a "regional peace agreement" that will include the Gulf states, Israel and Lebanon, along with Iran.
"If Iran fulfills its commitments, it will result in a real agreement for the Middle East. Otherwise, you will not get any economic gains," he said, stressing that Iran's reaping of economic gains is conditional on a change in its behavior, and that uranium enrichment activities and verification and inspection mechanisms are the main pillars of the deal.
Who is Reza Pahlavi?
Born in Tehran in 1960, Iranian dissident Reza Pahlavi was 17 years old when he left the country with his family just before the outbreak of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Republic—through a popular referendum.
In a move that sparked widespread controversy, Pahlavi made a historic visit to Israel in April 2023 at the official invitation of the Israeli government, where he met with senior officials, signaling his desire to build new regional alliances outside the traditional framework of the Iranian opposition.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the Shah who was toppled by Iran's 1979 revolution, is remarkably popular among old Iranian immigrants and monarchist movements, but he also faces criticism from other opposition forces—including the leftists, Kurds, and the MEK—who fear that his political project is an attempt to revive the legacy of the former shah, whom they see as authoritarian.
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