"The radical left says we didn't win. It's unbelievable. Iran no longer has an army. Statements like theirs, I consider that treasonous," US President Donald Trump declared at a conservative political event in The Villages, Florida, on 1/5.

He also referenced the swift military operation in Venezuela in January, calling it one of the greatest operations in history. However, Trump stated he did not want to declare victory in Iran prematurely as objectives were not yet complete, though he noted the situation "was unfolding similarly."

Trump repeatedly asserted the US had destroyed Iran's navy and emphasized the effectiveness of the strategy to blockade vessels entering and exiting the country's ports. Despite this, Iran maintained its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping lane that controlled about 20% of global oil traffic before the conflict.

US President Donald Trump attends a conservative political event in Florida on 1/5. Photo: AP

Also at The Villages event, President Trump described the US Navy's firing upon and seizing of the Iranian cargo ship M/V Touska on 19/4 as "like piracy." He recounted that US forces fired cannon rounds into the engine room of the Iranian cargo ship to compel it to stop, then used tugboats and boarding parties to take control.

"We took over the ship, we took over the cargo, we took over the oil. This was a very good deal. Nobody would have expected us to do this one day, it's like piracy," he said.

After more than two months of airstrikes and a naval blockade, the US has yet to compel Iran to abandon its nuclear program or reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiations between the two sides remained deadlocked after the first round of talks in Islamabad on 11/4.

Before departing Washington for Florida, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's latest proposal to end the conflict. President Trump later suggested Washington "might be better off without any deal" with Tehran. He affirmed he would not withdraw troops early from the region around Iran to avoid the risk of renewed conflict in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials announced they had submitted a new negotiation proposal to the US on 30/4 via Pakistan. Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, head of Iran's judiciary, affirmed the country "has never shied away from negotiations," but would not accept imposed actions. "We do not want conflict in any form; we do not want war or for it to continue," Ejei stated.

Thanh Danh (Sources: CNN, Reuters)