North Carolina [US], March 14 (ANI): US vice president JD Vance on Friday (local time) said that his country was engaged in a military operation, officially known as 'Operation Epic Fury', to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, while also urging Americans to pray for the troops deployed overseas.

While delivering remarks in Rocky Mount, Vance said the objective of the operation was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

'You all know that right now we are engaged in a military operation to ensure, as the President has said repeatedly, that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,' Vance said.

He added that previous US presidents expressed similar concerns in the past, but said that Donald Trump had taken concrete steps to ensure that Tehran does not obtain nuclear arms.

'That is a simple, simple principle and standard, frankly, every President said that they believed it. Donald J Trump has taken affirmative steps to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,' he said.

Vance also acknowledged the risks faced by American troops deployed abroad and called on the audience to pray for the service members.

'But we also know that there are a lot of people from the state of North Carolina who are in harm's way right now. And so I want all of us when we go home, we leave this event, I want all of us to say a prayer, not just for the North Carolinians, but for the people of all of our 50 states who put on the uniform and are willing to sacrifice for the safety and security and freedom of the United States of America,' he said, urging people to pray for service members from all 50 states who are serving overseas.

He said Americans should show support to those 'willing to sacrifice for the safety, security and freedom of the United States of America.'

Earlier, US president Donald Trump told Fox News that he thinks Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was alive but injured. He added that the US was 'decimating' Iran, adding that the Persian Gulf country has been hit harder than anyone else since World War 2.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News on the Brian Kilmeade Show. When asked if he thinks Iran's new supreme leader was alive, Trump said, 'He probably is. I think he's damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form'.

When asked about his message to Mojtaba Khamenei in the wake of his recent remarks, which hinted towards the continuation of the conflict and the use of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage, Trump told Fox News, 'They've been doing a lot of talking, so he's going to have to put up. We'll have to see -- because we are decimating them. We have knocked down most of their missiles, many of their drones, lot of manufacturing areas. We're hitting them harder than anybody's been hit since World War 2. (ANI)