Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday stated that deploying ground troops to Iran is not currently deemed necessary, yet he did not completely dismiss the possibility. "I don't think it's necessary, but I don't rule anything out," Trump conveyed during an interview with ABC News.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trump further elaborated on his stance in a conversation with The Hill, emphasizing that he is not excluding the option of sending ground troops should Iran fail to negotiate a deal with Washington. This stance aligns with the position Trump has consistently upheld throughout his campaign, where he initially expressed to the New York Post that he did not have apprehensions about deploying ground forces.

The White House echoed this sentiment, clarifying that while ground troops are not part of the current strategic plan, President Trump "wisely keeps his options on the table." This comes in the wake of US-Israeli military actions against Iran, which commenced on February 28 and have reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 1,340 individuals, including Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Tehran has launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that host US military assets.