Washington: US President Donald Trump launched a sharp attack on Iran during a White House cabinet meeting on Thursday, calling its leadership “really sick” while defending recent US military actions against Tehran.

“Right now, their (Iran's) Navy has sunk in the largest elimination of a foreign Navy that has taken place, maybe ever, but certainly since World War II. Their Air Force is gone. Their anti-aircraft and communications capabilities are totally dismantled... All of their leadership has been gone. The first level is gone, and they met to pick a new level, and they're gone. They're all gone because they didn't make a deal and because they're sick people. They're really sick... If we didn't hit them at that time with the B-2 bombers, they would have had a nuclear, and they would have used it without question...” Trump said.

He credited the strikes carried out using B-2 Spirit bombers for crippling Iran’s military infrastructure and preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

"The Iranian regime is now admitting to itself that they have been decisively defeated. They're saying to people- this is a disaster. They know it. That's why they're talking to us. They can't make a comeback. We're free to roam over their cities and towns and destroy all of their crazy nuclear weapons, missiles, and drones that they're building. We're doing that. They now have a chance to make a deal, but that's up to them, and they'll tell you, we're not negotiating. We will not negotiate. Of course, they'll negotiate. They've been obliterated. They are begging to make a deal. We'll see if we can make the right deal, and if they make the right deal, then the Strait of Hormuz will open up..." Trump said. 

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The US President also criticised NATO, accusing the alliance of failing to act in the conflict.

“We're very disappointed with NATO because NATO has done absolutely nothing... I said 25 years ago that NATO is a paper tiger. But more importantly, that we'll come to their rescue, but they will never come to ours...” he said.

The remarks come amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, with Washington maintaining a hardline stance against Tehran’s military and nuclear ambitions.