“You can't let the craziest regime in the world have nuclear weapons.” Warning from US summit on Iran after Trump's incisive speech
President Donald J. Trump delivers the State of the Nation address to a joint session of the US Congress in Washington, DC on February 24, 2026. Behind him are Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. PHOTO: Kenny Holston – Pool via CNP / INSTAR Images / Profimedia
US Vice President JD Vance warned Iran to take Washington's threats of possible military action “seriously” on Wednesday, a day after President Donald Trump appeared to advocate war in his State of the Union address, according to AFP.
Amid the build-up of US forces in the Middle East, Trump claimed in his speech to Congress on Tuesday that Iran was trying to develop missiles capable of hitting the United States.
The US president has accused the Islamic Republic, whose negotiators will meet US officials in Geneva on Thursday, of “sinister nuclear ambitions” and of trying to rebuild the nuclear program targeted by US airstrikes in last year's operation.
Trump is trying to reach a solution “diplomatically,” but he also has the “right” to use military action, JD Vance said Wednesday on Fox News.
“You can't let the craziest, worst regime in the world have nuclear weapons,” the US vice president added.
“The president has a number of other tools at his disposal to make sure that doesn't happen. He's shown he's willing to use them, and I hope the Iranians take that seriously in the negotiations tomorrow, because that's certainly what the president prefers,” Vance added.
New US sanctions
The statements come after the US announced a new round of sanctions against Iran, continuing what the Trump administration describes as a “campaign of maximum pressure”.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had struck an upbeat tone, saying there was a “favorable outlook” for negotiations. His foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, and his team went to Switzerland to meet with representatives of the United States.
Tehran has dismissed Trump's allegations about Iran's missile program as “big lies”.
In his State of the Union address, Trump accused Tehran of “already developing missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas and working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.”
Iran insists its nuclear program is for purely civilian purposes.
