The US may be preparing to open a new front in the standoff with Iran — not on the battlefield, but inside the country itself. US President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of putting weapons in the hands of Iranian citizens amid escalating pressure over repeated ceasefire violations in the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview, Trump framed the US position as dominant, insisting “one way or the other, we win”.
The remarks, delivered during a phone interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt Show, come amid a fragile ceasefire and continued clashes between the US and Iranian navies. According to Trump, the capabilities of the Iranian military and economy have been seriously hampered, given that US efforts have made it difficult for Iran to manage its military strength and stability at home.
THE POSSIBILITY OF ARMING IRANIANS
The US President’s comments turned sharply towards internal unrest in Iran, where he indicated that an unarmed population faces little chance against a heavily armed state apparatus. “If they had guns, which they don’t have, if they had guns, they would fight back. I’m convinced of that,” Trump said, adding that protesters have faced overwhelming force from regimes’ security personnel equipped with automatic weapons.
He admitted the risks of encouraging mass mobilisation, flagging the high death toll among demonstrators. “You can’t have an unarmed population against people with AK-47’s and stand there, even if you have 250,000 people,” he said.
“They have to have guns. And I think they’re getting some guns. As soon as they have guns, they’ll fight like, as good as anybody there is,” the US President added.
The comments echo earlier revelations made by him. He admitted that the US had attempted to supply weapons to Iranian protesters through Kurdish intermediaries. However, it failed to reach intended recipients. Kurdish groups have denied receiving such shipments.
‘WE’VE ALREADY WON’
Throughout the interview, Trump repeatedly emphasized the superiority of the American armed forces, stating that Iran’s navy had been obliterated. According to him, most of their naval vessels had been destroyed, and their last attacks were conclusive.
On the prospect of starting a war with Iran, he said: “We’ve already won that.”
However, the US President is taking a two-track strategy of putting pressure alongside the potential for negotiations. A very important condition set by Washington is that highly enriched uranium be returned to America.
“Yes, we do. We want it back. We want it back 100 per cent,” Trump said when asked whether recovering nuclear material is a red line for any deal.
CEASEFIRE IS NOT OVER, PENTAGON CHIEF SAYS
Despite the assertive tone, Trump stopped short of declaring the ceasefire over, leaving open the possibility of fresh military action. When asked directly whether strikes could resume imminently, he declined to reveal the possibilities.
“Well, I can’t tell you that,” he said.
This is because the situation remains ambiguous since neither side is fully engaging in combat yet, but only playing around the red line without stepping over it. According to the Pentagon, Iran’s activities so far have not crossed the threshold of major military escalation.
“We’re not looking for a fight. They said they control the strait, they do not,” Pete Hegseth said, adding that the ceasefire is not over.
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