'For the first time in 3,000 years': Trump says the Middle East is entering an era of peace

President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday during his remarks at the opening of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., that the Middle East is on the verge of entering a period of unprecedented stability following what he described as a historic agreement reached with Iran. At the event, the Republican president celebrated the recently announced agreement with the Islamic theocracy, presenting it as one of his administration’s major foreign policy achievements.

“And last week we signed a historic agreement to end the conflict with Iran, fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz and accomplished what no president has ever been able to accomplish before,” said Trump, who reiterated that one of the most important goals achieved with Tehran is preventing its regime from obtaining nuclear weapons. “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, thanks to the power and skill of the United States Armed Forces today,” he added.

Similarly, Trump also maintained that the conflict severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities and leadership structure. “Iran has no navy, no air force, no antiaircraft capacity, no missile launches, no manufacturing, and their leadership has been obliterated,” Trump stated before adding that “for the first time in 3,000 years, we are finally going to have peace in the Middle East.”

Message from the Iranian regime

Despite Trump’s statements regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian officials indicated on Wednesday that Tehran intends to maintain strict control over navigation through this strategic waterway. According to statements from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), ships transiting the strait must continue to use routes approved by Iranian authorities. The organization warned that it will take action against any vessels that fail to comply with its requirements.

“A few hours ago, without prior notice or coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, some authorities announced a new route for the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which is unacceptable and completely dangerous. It is hereby announced to all that the only permitted route for passage through the Strait of Hormuz is the route designated by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the IRGC stated in a communiqué released by Iranian state media.