rki.news | Sources: Anadolu
US President Donald Trump has stated that Iran’s missile and drone capabilities have been significantly reduced following US military strikes, claiming that the country now retains only around “21–22%” of its original missile stockpile.
In an interview with NBC News, excerpts of which were released on Friday ahead of its Sunday broadcast, Trump said that US operations had severely damaged Iran’s military production infrastructure.
“Most of the drone factories have been knocked out, most of the launching pads have been knocked out, and most of the missile manufacturing areas have been knocked out,” he said.
Despite the damage, Trump noted that Iran still maintains some operational capability. “They still have capacity. They have some missiles, they have some drones,” he said.
He further estimated that Iran’s remaining missile stockpile is “maybe 21–22%,” adding that although this still represents a significant number, it is far below previous levels.
Addressing the ongoing conflict that began on February 28, Trump said Iran’s hesitation to reach a permanent settlement stems from national pride. “They’re proud… they’ve got no choice, and it takes a little while,” he said.
He also defended his earlier withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, stating that such negotiations “take years” due to decades of hostility between both sides.