'Middle East wouldn't exist today': Trump takes credit for stopping Iran's nuclear program

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Israel and the wider Middle East would not exist if he had not stopped Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. His remarks came as his administration considers whether to restart military operations against Tehran and reviews a new Iranian proposal on its nuclear program.Trump claims Israel and the Middle East would not exist without his actions against Iran as he weighs fresh strikes. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (REUTERS)In a post on Truth Social on Friday, November 6, Trump credited his actions against Iran with preventing what he described as a threat to the region.“Israel and, in fact, the entire Middle East, WOULD NOT EXIST TODAY if I did not stop Iran from having a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote. “Nobody wants to say that, but everybody knows it's true!”The statement came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, which began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military bases.Trump weighs fresh military action against IranTrump's latest remarks followed his comments to reporters on Thursday, when he said Washington would decide whether to resume military action against Iran.“I'd rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I will have to,” he said.Also Read: 'Locked and loaded': Trump threatens further Iran action but says decision yet to be madeAccording to Reuters, senior Iranian officials said Tehran had sent a new nuclear proposal to Washington through Qatar. The US was reviewing the proposal, but Iran said further negotiations would depend on Washington meeting seven demands.These include lifting US sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets and paying compensation for war damages. Tehran has also called for an end to the US naval blockade and a reduced American military presence in the region.Washington, however, has maintained that Iran's nuclear programme must be part of any initial negotiations. Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, said the country would not negotiate or reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions were met.Hegseth defends US military campaignUS Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also defended the military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, on Thursday. He described it as a “courageous and historic effort” and said the administration would continue working to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.Also Read: Trump, Netanyahu speak as US weighs renewed military action against IranIn a video posted on X, Hegseth urged Congress to approve a reconciliation bill providing at least $350 billion for the military and the defence industrial base.Trump's latest post also comes days after he announced that the US would stop providing around $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026.However, Reuters reported that the existing US-Israel agreement provides $3.8 billion annually through September 2028, and the details of any early change remain unclear.The announcement followed Trump's comments that Israel no longer needed the financial support.