The US could end Iranian military operations ‘right now’, but the period could be longer

President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States would halt military operations against Iran “right now” and that Iran may not be able to rebuild its military for 10 years.

But President Trump told MS Now’s Stephanie Ruhl in a phone interview that it was not an “acceptable situation.”

“If we leave now, it will take at least 10 years to rebuild, but we will rebuild,” Trump said during a 15-minute phone conversation.

“They will never be rebuilt if we stay any longer,” he said.

President Trump’s comments came after multiple news outlets reported that the Pentagon was sending up to 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East from San Diego. This is the second time in the past week that thousands of U.S. troops are reported to have been sent to the region.

President Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office that he would not have his shoes worn in Iran.

Later the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “elements on the ground are needed” to ensure meaningful regime change in Iran.

Prime Minister Netanyahu appeared to refer to the Iranian people in his remarks, saying that the Iranian people ultimately need to “rise up.” But, he added, “there is a lot of potential for this ground component.”

In an interview with Ruhr on Friday, President Trump said the United States and Israel share “largely similar” goals against Iran.

“The difference is they live right next door. We don’t. That’s a big difference,” he says.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump have said Iran’s current leadership is uncertain because so many members of Tehran’s regime, including Khamenei, have been killed in airstrikes in the first three weeks of the war.

Khamenei’s successor was his son Mojtaba Khamenei. In a statement Friday to mark the start of the Persian New Year, Iran’s new supreme leader expressed his desire to strengthen Tehran’s ties with its regional neighbors.