“Waste of time”: Trump says not thinking of invading Iran

• Trump dismissed a ground invasion of Iran as a "waste of time," asserting that US-‘Israeli’ strikes have already destroyed Iran's navy and core military assets, leaving the regime with "nothing left to lose."
• Trump advocated for a swift "cleaning out" of the current government rather than a decade-long rebuilding process, suggesting the US should pick Iran's next leader—specifically rejecting Mojtaba Khamenei as a "lightweight"—in a manner similar to recent US involvement in Venezuela.

In a recent telephone interview with NBC News, US President Donald Trump stated that a ground invasion of Iran would constitute "a waste of time," emphasizing that the country has already suffered significant losses in the ongoing conflict.

He highlighted Iran's diminished military capabilities, including the loss of its navy, and indicated that the intensity of US strikes would persist without the need for troop deployment at this stage.

“They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose.”

The interview followed comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who expressed confidence in Iran's ability to repel any potential US or ‘Israeli’ ground incursion during a discussion with NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas.

Trump dismissed Araghchi's assertion as a "wasted comment," underscoring that Iran has "lost everything they can lose."

Trump further articulated his vision for Iran's future governance, advocating for the complete removal of the current leadership structure.

He expressed a desire to "go in and clean out everything" swiftly, avoiding a prolonged rebuilding process that could span a decade.

The president indicated that the United States should have influence in selecting Iran's next leader, drawing parallels to US involvement in Venezuelan leadership transitions.

This stance aligns with reports of Trump's rejection of potential successors like Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom he described as a "lightweight."

“We don’t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period,” Trump says in the phone call.

“We want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job,” he added.