“They have already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our overseas bases. And now they are working on developing missiles that will soon be able to reach the United States,” Trump said.
On June 22, American combat aircraft joined Israeli air strikes on Iranian military facilities, including those developing strategic weapons, in Fordo, Netenz and Isfahan.
According to Trump, Tehran is trying to regain the ability to make missiles.
“They were given a warning: no attempt to restore the weapons program – especially nuclear. However, they continue, they are starting all over again… My preference is to solve this problem diplomatically, but one thing is certain: I will never allow the main sponsor of terrorism in the world – and they are by a huge margin – to possess nuclear weapons. This cannot be allowed,” the head of the White House concluded.
Context
On January 28, Trump demanded that Iran come to the negotiating table to achieve a “fair and just agreement – without nuclear weapons.” On February 4, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed the holding of negotiations with the US delegation (on Tehran’s nuclear program) on February 6 in Oman. They took place in the capital Muscat.
Tehran wanted to discuss with Washington only nuclear issues, and not other topics, in particular the missile program, which is a priority for the United States and the countries of the Middle East, Axios noted.
In an interview published on February 4, the White House chief said that Iranian officials were considering starting construction of a new nuclear facility in another part of the country, but the United States warned them that they would do “very bad things” to them.
On February 12, Trump said that negotiations between the United States and Iran on the nuclear program could last up to a month, and that if an agreement is not reached, there would be “very traumatic” consequences for Iran.
Bild wrote on February 22 that the US Army had concentrated enough forces near Iran to strike and was ready to do so this week.
