Iran no longer a 'very strong, powerful terrorist state' after Operation Epic Fury, Leavitt says

Jerusalem Post/World NewsWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that Iran's leadership is still in contact with the US and is interested in making a deal.Follow us on GoogleReporters raise hands as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a press briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 16, 2026. (photo credit: REUTERS/Evan Vucci)ByGOLDIE KATZJULY 16, 2026 20:57Updated: JULY 16, 2026 21:36White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted that Iran is “not the once very strong, powerful terrorist state that they were” before the US’s Operation Epic Fury against the Islamic Regime in Tehran, during a press briefing on Wednesday.When asked about the status of US-Iran negotiations, she claimed that Iran's leadership is still speaking with the US and has expressed interest in reaching another peace deal after the recent collapse of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding.She elaborated that the reason behind the collapse and recent, renewed strikes against Iran was due to Tehran’s violations of the MoU.“In the MoU that they signed, they were not to fire on commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Unfortunately, they have made the tragic decision… to do that,” Leavitt stated.“President Trump is not going to sit by and allow these active acts of terror to take place in the strait without ensuring Iran pays consequences for that, and that’s what we’re witnessing right now,” she added.A projectile is fired during what the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said was a third round of strikes this week against Iran, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 11, 2026. (credit: US CENTRAL COMMAND/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)Iranian strikes in Hormuz validate reasoning behind Operation Epic Fury, Leavitt saysLeavitt stated that Iran’s strikes on vessels in the strait validate US President Donald Trump’s initial reasoning for launching Operation Epic Fury in February, but noted that he is “always open and willing to [engage in] diplomacy.”She added that the US has proven to the world that it maintains the ability to strike Iran “anytime, anywhere, and any place.”Leavitt additionally touted that American strikes “neutered” Iranian leadership’s ability to communicate, thus transforming the regime into a “fragmented system.”Follow us on Google