President Donald Trump said in his State of the Union address that Iran is pursuing missile and nuclear weapons programs despite past US efforts to stop them.
Trump said the country had already developed missiles capable of threatening Europe and US bases overseas, and was working on missiles that could reach the United States.
“They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, in particular nuclear weapons. Yet they continue, starting it all over,” he said.
Trump added that the US is negotiating with Tehran, but he has not heard “the secret words: ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon.’ That is my preference.”
Trump highlighted a US military operation last June, which he called a “breakthrough” that obliterated Iran’s nuclear weapons program on Iranian soil, known as Operation Midnight Hammer. “For decades, it had been the policy of the United States never to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Trump also criticized the Iranian government and its proxies for spreading “terrorism, death and hate” since taking power 47 years ago. He accused them of killing and maiming thousands of American service members and hundreds of thousands — even millions — of civilians with roadside bombs, calling them “the kings of the roadside bomb.”
Trump said US actions during his first term, including taking out a key figure known as the father of the roadside bomb Ghassem Soleimani, had a “huge impact.”
Trump said the US is still negotiating with Tehran but said he has not heard “the secret words: ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon.’ That is my preference.” He added, “As president, I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must.”