US Senator Chris Murphy says Trump has ‘lost’ war with Iran
WASHINGTON: Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has said US President Donald Trump has “lost this war” with Iran, arguing that the continuation of hostilities is weakening Washington while strengthening Tehran.
Speaking to NBC News, Murphy said he would support even a “bad deal” to bring the conflict to an end and facilitate the reopening of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
“The war needs to end because every day that the war continues, America gets weaker, Iran gets stronger, and people here in the United States get screwed as prices go up and up and up,” Murphy said.
The senator said the cost of reopening the Strait of Hormuz was increasing as efforts to reach an agreement remained stalled.
Murphy also said he would oppose additional funding for continuing the war, although he would support replenishing US military munitions once the conflict had ended.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Tehran was not engaged in direct talks with Washington.
Araghchi maintained that Iran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States met its demands, including lifting the naval blockade.
The comments come amid heightened tensions over the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of global energy supplies passes.
