By the Associated Press:
President Donald Trump says the U.S. will immediately impose new sanctions on the Iranian regime in response to its missile attacks on military bases in Iraq that house American troops.
In an address to the nation Wednesday, Trump said those new “powerful sanctions“ will remain until Iran abandons its nuclear ambitions and ends its support for terrorism.
Trump also said he would ask NATO to become more involved in the Middle East. That seems to indicate continued U.S. involvement in the region despite Trump’s desire to withdraw troops from what he calls “endless wars.”
At the same time, Trump says the United States is “ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.”
Trump said the American people should be “extremely grateful and happy” that no Americans were harmed when Iran launched ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops early Wednesday.
Trump says Iran “appears to be standing down“ and is crediting an early warning system “that worked very well“ for the fact that no Americans or Iraqis were killed.
The launch was Tehran’s most brazen direct assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and came days after Trump authorized the targeted killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force.
Iran had pledged to retaliate, bringing the two countries closer to the brink of war.
Trump added: “We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far!”
