Washington [US], March 18 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his administration's actions in the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran, claiming that scrapping the Iran nuclear deal signed under former President Barack Obama prevented a potential "nuclear holocaust."

Speaking on the escalating situation, Trump said, "If I didn't terminate Obama's horrible deal that he made, the Iran nuclear deal, you would have had a nuclear war four years ago. You would have had a nuclear holocaust, and you would have had it again if we didn't bomb the site..."

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Trump's remarks come amid heightened tensions following the ongoing military confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which began on February 28.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that while the United States is not yet ready to end its war with Iran, "we will be leaving in the near future," CNN reported.

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"We're not ready to leave yet, but we will be leaving in the near future," he said from the Oval Office, according to CNN.

Trump added that he believes the US has inflicted enough damage that it could take Iran a decade to rebuild, CNN reported.

However, when asked about a "day-after" plan for Iran, he declined to provide specifics, saying only that the country has "been decimated from every standpoint," as per CNN.

The US President has repeatedly given vague and sometimes conflicting timelines regarding the end of the war, which began more than two weeks ago, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticised his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron after France declined to join a task force aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed, CNN reported.

Speaking during a French Defense Council meeting, Macron said, "We are not party to the conflict, and therefore France will never participate in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context," CNN reported.

Responding to Macron's remarks in the Oval Office, Trump said, "Well, he'll be out of office very soon. So, we'll have to see. I don't know," as per CNN.

According to CNN, France's next presidential elections are scheduled for April 2027.

Trump has also expressed frustration with US allies who have declined to send warships to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that they have not shown sufficient support despite benefiting from American security assistance for decades, CNN reported. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)