US President Donald Trump said Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. He defended his hardline approach, claiming he took steps other presidents ignored. "We've knocked the hell out of them, and we may go a little further," Trump said. He also accused Iran of faking incidents to raise oil prices.

US President Donald Trump has reiterated that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, defending his administration's hardline approach towards Tehran and warning that Washington could intensify its pressure campaign. Trump said he was taking steps that previous US presidents should have taken, adding that while some people might oppose his approach, many strongly supported it. "I'm doing what should have been done by other presidents...We can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon. In one way, people probably don't love it, but many people -- many great patriots -- really do," Trump said. Emphasising that action against Iran was long overdue, the US president signalled that further measures could follow. "This should have been done a long time ago by other Presidents. We've knocked the hell out of them, and we may go a little further," Trump added. Earlier, in a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of attempting to drive up global crude oil prices ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections. He also alleged that Tehran was exaggerating or fabricating incidents in the Persian Gulf to create concerns over oil supplies. "Iran is doing everything they can to drive up the price of Oil prior to the U.S. Midterm Election. They are even making up fake hits, mines, and everything else, because more Oil is coming through the Hormuz Strait now than it did even prior to the beginning of the Conflict," Trump said. Trump also launched a sharp attack on Iran's leadership, describing it as an "evil regime" and accusing it of carrying out deadly crackdowns on civilian protesters. "They continue to kill protestors, and anyone else that happens to be in their way. It is truly an Evil Regime, and I can only hope the American Public, and the World, understands how EVIL they are! 75,000 protestors lie dead in less than seven months," the US president claimed. Trump also criticised domestic political opponents and the international community over what he described as their indifferent response to Iran's actions, reiterating his opposition to Tehran acquiring nuclear weapons. *With Agency Inputs