Iran lashed out after President Donald Trump put the regime on notice in his State of the Union address, delivering a forceful warning about Tehran’s ambitions while world leaders largely stayed silent in the immediate aftermath of the speech.
Speaking amid the largest deployment of U.S. aircraft and warships to the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War buildup, Trump said he wanted to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy while accusing Tehran of expanding its missile capabilities.
‘They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas,’ he said. ‘And they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.’
‘My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy,’ Trump added. ‘They want to make a deal. But we haven’t heard those secret words: we will never have a nuclear weapon.’
‘But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror… to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen.’
Trump argued that previous U.S. action, including the ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ strike in June, had severely degraded Iran’s capabilities but warned the threat had not disappeared.
‘We wiped it out and they want to start all over again and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions,’ he said.
Tehran sharply rejected Trump’s claims about its missile and nuclear programs. According to The Associated Press, Iranian officials characterized U.S. statements as propaganda while stopping short of closing the door on diplomacy ahead of the Geneva talks.
The Times of India reported that Iranian officials warned that any U.S. military strike, even a ‘limited’ one, would be treated as aggression and met with a decisive response.
The exchange underscored the widening gap between public rhetoric and ongoing diplomatic efforts as Washington and Tehran prepared for another round of nuclear talks in Geneva.
Trump also linked his foreign policy agenda to broader regional security efforts, pointing to recent operations in the Western Hemisphere and the U.S. campaign against drug cartels.
‘We’re also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, acting to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism, and foreign interference,’ he said. ‘Large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico… have been controlled by murderous drug cartels. That’s why I designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations… We’ve also taken down one of the most sinister cartel kingpins of all. You saw that yesterday,’ he said, referring to the operation that killed Mexican drug lord El Mencho.
European coverage portrayed the speech as assertive and confrontational, with analysts watching closely for implications for NATO coordination, Ukraine policy and trade relations. Reporting emphasized Trump’s linkage between diplomacy and military readiness, as well as the administration’s broader posture toward alliances and deterrence.
‘NATO countries… have just agreed, at my very strong request, to pay 5% of GDP for military defense rather than the 2%,’ Trump said during the address, presenting the move as evidence of shifting burden-sharing within the alliance.
Across global media, one theme emerged clearly: the address appeared primarily geared toward domestic political messaging while still carrying international signaling effects.
Trump repeatedly tied American military power to deterrence, telling lawmakers the United States would ‘never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must,’ while emphasizing a broader strategy of ‘peace through strength,’ according to Reuters coverage of the speech.
Foreign policy analysts cited in international reporting described the address as reinforcing a transactional approach to global security, with diplomacy presented as conditional and backed by force.
For Tehran, the message was unmistakable. Trump framed the nuclear issue as non-negotiable in outcome, as the next round of negotiations is set to start in Geneva on Thursday.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.