Trump Rules Out Nuclear Weapons Against Iran, Says Ground Invasion Unlikely

US President Donald Trump has ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran and indicated that he was not inclined to deploy American ground troops, even as the US military develops options for potential fresh strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities.

In an interview with Newsmax on Thursday, Trump said Washington did not need nuclear weapons to achieve its objectives in the ongoing conflict. He also clarified that the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), known as the “mother of all bombs”, was a conventional weapon.

“Well, the mother of all bombs is not nuclear. It's not nuclear at all. This is just an extremely large bomb,” Trump said. “No, I wouldn't use nuclear. We don't have to.”

Asked whether he would consider deploying US troops on the ground in Iran, Trump replied, “I don't see that. I don't.”

His remarks come amid uncertainty over the next phase of the conflict and the prospects for a negotiated settlement.

US WEIGHS FRESH STRIKE OPTIONS

CNN, citing officials familiar with military planning, reported that Trump had directed the US military to develop additional strike options against Iran. These could include attacks on energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities, including the suspected underground installation at Pickaxe Mountain.

The options reportedly include the possible use of the MOAB. According to CNN, the plans could be considered if Trump decides to resume combat operations before or after the November midterm elections.

However, the weapon's effectiveness against deeply buried nuclear facilities remains uncertain. The MOAB is designed to deliver a powerful blast over a wide area rather than penetrate deep underground.

Weighing approximately 21,600 pounds, the GBU-43/B is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal. Sources cited by CNN questioned whether it could destroy installations protected by thick layers of granite.

“The MOAB is a massive information operation-type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” one source familiar with the planning told CNN, adding that it was not designed as a deep-penetration weapon.

Trump became the first US president to authorise the weapon's use in combat when it was dropped on Islamic State positions in Afghanistan in 2017.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN MUST NEVER ACQUIRE NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Trump reiterated his determination to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, claiming that previous US strikes had damaged Iranian nuclear facilities.

“We want to make it so that they will never have a nuclear weapon, because if they had it, they would use it, in my opinion, instantaneously,” he said.

Referring to the suspected underground installations, Trump said the nuclear infrastructure was buried beneath extensive layers of rock and suggested that Pickaxe Mountain could be targeted.

“We've knocked them out. We've knocked out their sites, their their nuclear is buried under millions of tonnes of mountain. Now we're looking at Pickaxe Mountain. We may have to go there. We'll take a shot at that one. We'll knock it out fast,” he said.

The reported strike options have raised questions over whether conventional weapons could sufficiently damage facilities located deep underground.

TRUMP RAISES NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT WITH RUSSIA, CHINA

Trump also discussed the US nuclear arsenal and said Washington was holding discussions with Russia and China on nuclear disarmament.

He described the United States as the world's leading nuclear power, with Russia second and China third, and warned that Beijing could narrow the gap within five years.

“We're actually talking to Russia about that and we're talking to China about that denuclearisation. We talk; we talk about it a lot,” Trump said.

His comments come as Washington weighs its military options against Iran while publicly ruling out the use of nuclear weapons and signalling little appetite for a ground invasion.

With inputs from ANI