Tehran [Iran], October 16 (ANI): Iran’s air defence capabilities have improved significantly compared with pre-war and wartime levels, Iranian Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akrami-Nia said, amid escalating tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump’s threats of potential fresh strikes against Tehran.
According to Press TV, Akrami-Nia said, “Despite Trump’s repeated allegations, Iran’s current air defence capabilities far surpass pre-war and wartime levels.”
Meanwhile, Trump on Thursday (local time) ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran and expressed little inclination towards deploying American ground troops, even as the US military develops additional strike options targeting Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump clarified that the “mother of all bombs” under consideration was a conventional weapon and said Washington did not need nuclear weapons to achieve its objectives against Tehran.
“Well, the mother of all bombs is not nuclear. It’s not nuclear at all. This is just an extremely large bomb. It’s like a tiny nuclear bomb, but the mother of all bombs is one big bomb. But it’s not nuclear. No, I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to,” Trump said.
Asked whether he would consider deploying US troops on the ground in Iran, Trump responded, “I don’t see that. I don’t.”
According to CNN, Trump has directed the US military to develop additional strike options that could include the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), potentially targeting Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities, including the suspected underground nuclear site at Pickaxe Mountain.
However, officials familiar with the military planning have questioned whether the MOAB would be effective against deeply buried installations. Weighing approximately 21,600 pounds, the weapon is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal but is not designed for deep underground penetration.
Trump also reiterated his determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, claiming that previous US strikes had damaged Iranian nuclear facilities.
Separately, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against 16 individuals and 10 entities accused of facilitating Iran’s financial networks, shadow banking operations and funding channels for its military and regional proxy groups.
The measures target financial institutions, oil intermediaries and foreign-exchange networks allegedly involved in sanctions evasion and international money transfers, as Washington continues to increase economic pressure on Tehran amid the ongoing confrontation. (ANI)
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