Iranian general says war is one of attrition
President Trump on Friday said the U.S. military is prepared to escalate strikes against Iran if Tehran does not resume negotiations, while also asserting that diplomatic talks are progressing. No strikes were reported Friday night, ending a streak of 13 consecutive nights of combat.
“Look, we’re locked and loaded,” Trump told reporters Friday. “We’re ready to go, but we’re talking to them, so maybe there will be, maybe there won’t be a tipping point. Maybe they will cry uncle, or maybe they’ll just give up, or maybe they’ll just go into a cave and hide.”
Trump met with top advisers and senior members of his cabinet on Friday to decide whether to escalate the military assault against Iran, according to The New York Times. The White House has not said whether the president reached a decision.
Trump said Iran is “getting more and more serious” about talks to end the fighting. “We are talking to them. I think they’re getting more and more serious as the days go by, for maybe the obvious reason, but we are talking to them right now,” Trump said Friday. He added that Iran would “love to make a deal” but he didn’t “think they’re ready to.”
In a separate interview on Thursday, Trump said he was considering a “massive attack” on Iran. “Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” he said. Trump said Iranian leadership “want to negotiate” but are not ready to make a deal. “They haven’t received enough pain yet,” he said.
An Iranian general identified as General Asadi said Saturday that Tehran is prepared for a prolonged conflict. “Our war with the enemy is a war of attrition, one that will not end,” General Asadi said, according to UPI. “We ask God that the ground forces of the aggressor American army find themselves in a position where we can engage them on the ground.”