WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has rejected reports suggesting that the United States is facing shortages of weapons and ammunition during the conflict with Iran, saying the country has more arms than any other nation.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Trump said the United States possesses a larger weapons stockpile than any country in the world and has supplies beyond its current needs.
The comments came after reports that General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed the White House about concerns over declining stocks of interceptor missiles used in air defence systems.
According to reports, General Caine warned that resuming large-scale military operations against Iran could significantly reduce the missile reserves available to the US military.
A senior US official, speaking anonymously, reportedly said the outcome of strikes against Iran had differed from expectations, arguing that the attacks had allowed Iran to strengthen internal unity and enabled its leadership to focus on external threats.
The development follows reports that President Trump had ordered a halt to attacks against Iran after 13 days of military operations. US media reported that the order was issued on Friday, though it remained unclear whether the pause was temporary or represented a broader ceasefire arrangement.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that intermediary countries, including Pakistan and Qatar, were facilitating the exchange of messages between Iran and the United States.
Baghaei said Iran’s immediate priority remained defending its sovereignty during the ongoing conflict. He added that diplomatic communication through mediators was continuing despite the tensions.
The Iranian spokesperson also claimed that Iran had fulfilled commitments under a memorandum of understanding regarding safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, but alleged that the United States launched new attacks before the agreement period expired.
He further claimed that diplomatic efforts had been undermined by military actions during negotiations and accused Washington of failing to release Iran’s frozen assets under the terms of the understanding.
