Trump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions, says diplomacy preferred
New Delhi, Feb 25: US President Donald Trump used his annual address to a joint session of Congress to issue a stern warning to Iran, saying he would “never” allow Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon, even as he reiterated that his preference was to resolve tensions through diplomacy.
During what became the longest State of the Union-style address in US history, lasting nearly one hour and 50 minutes, Trump turned to Iran and referenced last year’s US military operation, Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities.
“After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program — yet they continue, and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions,” Trump told lawmakers.
He claimed Iran was seeking a deal to avoid further US military action but had stopped short of committing to permanently abandon nuclear weapons development.
“My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy — but one thing is certain. I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror — which they are by far — to have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
The president did not clarify whether he is considering a potential military strike if talks collapse, leaving lawmakers and international observers uncertain about Washington’s next move.
The remarks come as Washington and Tehran prepare for a second round of talks scheduled for Thursday, February 26. The first round of negotiations took place a couple of weeks ago in Switzerland, marking the highest-level contact between the two sides in months amid heightened regional tensions.
The renewed diplomatic engagement follows weeks of the largest US military buildup in the Middle East in nearly two decades, fuelling speculation about possible contingency plans if negotiations fail.
Trump’s Iran comments were part of a sweeping address in which he defended his second-term agenda, claiming he had overseen a “turnaround for the ages” in the US economy during his first year back in office.
He sparred repeatedly with Democrats in the chamber, though he avoided directly criticising Supreme Court justices present, despite their recent ruling blocking several of his sweeping tariffs.
In the Democratic response, Virginia Governor said the president “offered no real solutions to our nation’s pressing challenges.”
The speech comes at a politically sensitive moment for Trump, as opinion polls suggest some Americans are growing sceptical of his second-term agenda ahead of crucial midterm elections in November.
For now, however, it is Iran policy that may test both his diplomatic instincts and his willingness to escalate. With talks due to resume on 28 February, the world will be watching to see whether diplomacy prevails — or whether Washington’s warning signals a sharper confrontation ahead.
