Washington [US], March 18 (ANI): US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that the Strait of Hormuz would soon be secured, saying it 'won't be too long,' even though NATO countries would not assist in the ongoing conflict with Iran, CNN reported.

'It won't be, I don't believe, too long. We're knocking the hell out of the coast. It's basically the coast and the water. And it won't be too long,' Trump told reporters, as per CNN.

He did not provide a specific timeline or outline how the US plans to secure the strategic waterway, CNN reported.

President Trump also praised regional partners, stating, 'The Middle Eastern states, including Israel, by the way, who has been terrific, the Middle Eastern states have been helping us a lot.'

Meanwhile, the US President had earlier urged allies to support efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route, CNN reported.

According to CNN, Trump also dismissed warnings from Iran's deputy foreign minister that deploying US troops could lead to another Vietnam-style conflict.

Responding to a question on the possibility, Trump said, 'No, I'm not afraid of - I'm really not afraid of anything,' as per CNN.

Meanwhile, Micheal Martin defended UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a meeting at the Oval Office, CNN reported.

According to CNN, Trump had said he was 'disappointed' with Starmer for not sending minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz or offering other support in the Iran conflict, adding that 'unfortunately, Keir is not Winston Churchill'.

'He's a very nice man with a beautiful family... but he, he doesn't produce,' Trump said of Starmer, while also criticising the United Kingdom's energy and immigration policies, CNN reported.

According to CNN, Martin responded by emphasising the importance of transatlantic ties, saying, 'Notwithstanding what has happened, the transatlantic relationship between Europe and the US is very, very important on a number of fronts, and I think we've had issues over the last year or two, but we settled them'..

He added that European leaders had engaged with the US on trade disputes, stating, 'We've got a landing zone between Europe and US, and I think we can get a landing zone again,' as per CNN.

As per CNN, praising Starmer, Martin further said, 'Keir Starmer has done a lot to reset the Irish-British relationship. I just want to put that on the record, but I do believe that he's a very earnest, sound person who I think you have a capacity to get on with - you got on with him before.'

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Ireland's president should 'be very thankful' for US actions aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, CNN reported.

According to CNN, Ireland's President Catherine Connolly had earlier criticised the war in Iran as a violation of international law, stating that 'the normalization of war can never be accepted.'

Responding to her remarks, Trump said, 'He's lucky I exist. That's all I can say,' apparently referring to Connolly by the wrong gender, CNN reported.

'Because if you're going to allow countries that are sick and demented, and they are demented, to have nuclear weapons, everybody in the whole world should be very thankful,' Trump said, as per CNN.

He further added, 'And I'm disappointed in NATO, very disappointed. I'm disappointed in a couple of other countries too, but they should be very thankful that this group of people feels the way we do.'

According to CNN, opposition parties in Ireland have argued that US and Israeli strikes on Iran violate international law.

Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin has stopped short of calling the strikes illegal but earlier said the bombing 'was not in accordance with a UN mandate,' while consistently calling for de-escalation and a peaceful resolution, CNN reported.

During the Oval Office meeting, Martin also acknowledged concerns over nuclear proliferation, saying, 'you cannot have a rogue state with a nuclear weapon, or the capacity for a nuclear weapon,' CNN reported. (ANI)