Obama accuses Trump of strengthening Tehran’s strategic position

Former US president Barack Obama has accused President Donald Trump of launching an unnecessary war with Iran, saying the conflict has strengthened Tehran’s strategic position, cost American lives and increased fuel prices.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Michigan on Saturday, Obama challenged the Trump administration’s claims of victory. He said US allies and military bases had come under attack, while Iran had gained greater leverage over shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

“The current president chose to make a series of bad decisions,” Obama said. “The most important of which was he decided to start an unnecessary war nobody asked for and nobody voted for.”

Obama contrasted Trump’s military campaign with the diplomatic approach taken by his administration. He pointed to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, arguing that negotiations had helped curb Tehran’s nuclear programme without requiring the United States to launch military strikes.

“I didn’t have to fire a missile. I engaged in diplomacy,” Obama said.

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Questioning the results of the conflict, Obama challenged the administration’s assessment of its military achievements. He referred to the passage of seven months since the war began and six months since officials declared victory.

“Seven months later, how’s that war going?” he asked.

Obama said attacks on American allies and military bases had raised questions about the consequences of the campaign. He also argued that Iran’s ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had improved its strategic position.

“Iran now has veto power over the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. “So they’re in a stronger strategic position now than before the war started.”

The waterway is a critical route for global oil shipments, making disruptions a concern for energy markets and international trade.

Obama also blamed the administration’s decision to launch the war for rising oil and diesel prices, saying the conflict had added to the cost-of-living pressures facing Americans.

His remarks added to the political debate over the war, its impact on US security interests and the economic consequences of instability around one of the world’s most important energy corridors.