President Trump struck an optimistic tone on efforts to end the six-month-old war with Iran, saying Tehran had been forced onto the back foot and predicting that the situation would ultimately turn out “fine and dandy.”
Trump made the comments in Dublin, where he met with Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the outset of his visit to Ireland.
The president said Iran was likely behind the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, which the kingdom shut down Friday after multiple drone strikes reportedly launched from Iraq, where Tehran maintains significant influence.
“I think they are, probably they are. They are on the balls of their feet right now,” Trump said when asked about Iran’s role.
Trump also appeared to leave room for a more measured approach toward the Houthis, who recently seized Perim Island, a strategically important territory off Yemen at the mouth of the Red Sea, one of the world’s key maritime transit corridors.
“We have had discussions, the Houthis called us and they don’t want to fight with us,” Trump told reporters. “They don’t want us to go after them and would much prefer not having us involved and they’re letting most ships go through, it’s just one country they’re not too happy with. And we’ll get that straightened out.”
Trump is scheduled to travel later Saturday to his Doonbeg golf course in County Clare, where he is expected to attend the Irish Open.
