via CNBC:
- Trump’s comments come after he called off strikes against the Islamic Republic this week over concerns that a military response would kill scores of people.
- “We want to be proportionate,” Trump told reporters Saturday.
- However, the president also said he has not ruled out strikes against Iran in the future.
President Donald Trump said Saturday the United States would impose “major additional sanctions” against Iran on Monday, after calling off military strikes against the Islamic Republic over concerns about the loss of life.
Trump said he would discuss tensions between the U.S. and Iran at Camp David this weekend.
“We want to be proportionate,” Trump told reporters Saturday.
However, the president also said he has not ruled out using military force against Iran in the future.
“It’s always on the table until we get this solved,” he said. “We have a tremendously powerful military force in that area.”
….Sanctions come off Iran, and they become a productive and prosperous nation again – The sooner the better!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2019
Longstanding tensions between the U.S. and Iran have reached a boiling point in recent weeks with the two countries nearly coming to blows.
Iran shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone with a surface-to-air missile, one week after two oil tankers were rocked by explosions in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s busiest sea lane for oil shipments.
Oil surged this week on concern that tensions between the U.S. and Iran could disrupt the flow of oil. U.S. crude jumped more than 9% and the global benchmark Brent jumped by 5%.