Trump claims US struck Iranian radar systems three times, escorted tankers through Strait of Hormuz

Washington: US President Donald Trump has claimed that American forces carried out strikes on Iranian radar systems on three separate occasions and secretly escorted commercial oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard global energy supplies during heightened tensions with Tehran.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC's Joe Kernen on Thursday (local time), Trump said the strikes were carried out after attacks on commercial shipping and claimed the US repeatedly destroyed Iran's air defence radar capabilities.

"We blew up Iran's radar; they had no radar, they still don't. We blew it up again the other night. They had a nice new radar; they were all set to go, and we blew it up last week. They have to start all over again for a third time," Trump said.

When asked whether the United States was prepared for further military action, Trump replied, "We have all the assets."

The US President also described the American naval presence in the region as "a wall of steel", saying it effectively prevented vessels from reaching Iran.

"I did a blockade that was essentially not a blockade; it was a wall of steel. We have the great Navy, the greatest navy in the world. These guys are unbelievable. Not one ship got through to Iran," he said.

Trump claimed Iran's economy had deteriorated sharply, citing soaring inflation and declining revenues.

"They have 300 per cent inflation, they're making no money," he said.

He added that the US hoped to eventually become a supplier of agricultural commodities to Iran.

"They need food. They need corn, wheat, and soybeans, and we're going to have exclusively our American farmers provide that. Assuming we get to the position where we should get to," Trump said.

Rejecting media reports suggesting Iran had emerged in a stronger position following the conflict, Trump criticised *The New York Times*' assessment.

"The New York Times said the other day that Iran is in a better position now than it was four months ago," he said.

"I said, wait a minute, their military is gone. Their inflation is up to 300 per cent from 5 per cent. Their leaders are gone. Their second row of leaders is gone. Some of their third row of leaders are gone. Their generals are mostly wiped out."

Trump also said his administration deliberately avoided closing the Strait of Hormuz, warning that such a move would have severely disrupted global oil supplies and triggered a worldwide economic downturn.

"If I want to be the tough guy and close up the Strait for the next few years, where 20 per cent or 21 per cent of the oil never comes out, and you can't get oil anymore, oil will be USD 350 a barrel, and there'll be a depression," he said.

Instead, Trump claimed the US Navy quietly escorted oil tankers through the southern approach to the strategic waterway under cover of darkness.

"Every night, we were taking ships out through the South, which is the furthest point from where they have their little weapons, and they were going along the coast with no lights for a month and a half," he said.

"We had one night where we took 22 ships out. That's a lot of oil."

"Our Navy took them out. We escorted them out, and nobody knew. The lights were off, everything was off, everything was silent," Trump added.