In an interview with Al Jazeera, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Operation Epic Fury achieved its objectives, including the "decimation" of Iran's air force, navy, ballistic missile capacity, and defence industrial base.
He reiterated that President Trump has made clear the Iranian regime "can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon."
Pigott defended Trump's approach to negotiations, saying the President "is not going to be rushed into a bad deal" and wants to make a "good deal for the American people," criticising the JCPOA as giving Iran "a roadmap to a nuclear weapon."
On the Strait of Hormuz, Pigott said the US will not normalise a situation where any country determines who can use an international waterway, noting that the US blockade of Iranian ships and ports remains in place.
He added that President Trump was "clear-eyed about the temporary short-term disruptions" that may result from the crisis.
When asked whether the US underestimated the global economic consequences, he pointed to US energy production and economic partnerships in the region.
On Lebanon, Pigott said the US is focused on creating conditions for "good-faith conversations" between the Lebanese and Israeli governments — the first at this level since 1993 — while accusing Hezbollah of trying to derail the talks.
He acknowledged the challenges ahead, saying "no one is downplaying" the difficulties.

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