A US senator has assailed Washington’s military and diplomatic campaigns in Iran, calling them “incompetent [and] ham-handed”.

“I don’t think we have ever seen a more incompetent, ham-handed military operation, side-by-side with the most incompetent, ham-handed diplomatic effort, in the history of this country,” Senator Chris Murphy tells CNN.

He notes that the best course of action is for US President Donald Trump to end the blockade and declare an end to the war right now.

“This is not a stalemate … Iran is much more powerful today than they were at the beginning of this conflict,” Murphy says, adding that this is notwithstanding damage caused by the US during the war.

“This has been publicly reported: they still have the majority of their missiles, the majority of their drones, they still have a nuclear programme and any time they want, they can reopen military operations in the Strait of Hormuz,” he adds.