U. S. President Donald Trump, in his State of the Union speech, made a case for a potential attack on Iran, stating he would prevent the nation, which he labeled the “world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism,” from acquiring nuclear weapons. He pointed to Iran’s support for militant groups, its actions against anti-government protesters, and its missile and nuclear programs as threats to the U. S. and the region.
Trump claimed that Iran had developed missiles capable of threatening Europe and U. S. bases and was working on missiles that could reach the United States. He mentioned U. S. airstrikes from June, called Operation Midnight Hammer, which he claimed had destroyed Iran’s nuclear weapons program. However, he did not provide supporting evidence for his statements.
Public assessments from the U. S. Defense Intelligence Agency indicated that Iran has the capability to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile by 2035. Iranian media suggested they were working on a missile that could reach the U. S. An expert noted that the DIA’s estimate seemed conservative, given Iran’s collaboration with North Korea on missile technology.
Regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Trump asserted its facilities were destroyed in U. S. strikes, but the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated Iran could resume limited uranium enrichment soon. The IAEA has inspected all nuclear facilities in Iran not targeted in the strikes but could not access the key sites that were bombed.
The U. S. and Israel justified their actions by claiming Iran was nearing the capability to produce nuclear weapons. While the IAEA and U. S. intelligence noted Iran stopped its weapons development program in 2003, Tehran insists it is enriching uranium for civilian purposes. Western powers question the justification for Iran’s uranium enrichment, as it raises concerns about nuclear weapon production.
In his address, Trump also claimed Iran had killed 32,000 protesters recently, a number that could not be verified. A U. S.-based group recorded 7,007 confirmed deaths and had additional cases under review. Iranian officials provided lower estimates of the deaths amid the unrest.
(Production: Kristian Brunse, Video Copyright (c) 2026 Thomson Reuters)
