Trump Says Iran Has Not Declared Nuclear Abandonment...Vows To Confront Threats

On the 24th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he could use military force to prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons, saying that Iran has not yet expressed its intention to abandon nuclear weapons in the nuclear negotiations.

In his State of the Union address that day, President Trump said, "We are negotiating with them (Iran)," and added, "They want to reach a deal, but we have not yet heard the secret words, 'We will never possess nuclear weapons.'"

Reuters Yonhap News Agency

He went on to say, "I prefer to resolve this issue through diplomacy. But one thing is certain," stressing, "I will not allow the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism to possess nuclear weapons. No nation should ever doubt America's resolve."

President Trump said that Iran has already developed missiles capable of threatening Europe and U.S. military bases overseas, and that it is seeking to develop missiles that could soon reach the U.S. mainland. This is being interpreted as laying the groundwork for military action if Iran refuses the U.S. demand for denuclearization.

He also said, "As president, I will seek peace whenever possible, but I will never hesitate to confront threats against the United States when it is necessary to do so."

On the 26th, the United States and Iran will hold negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland. The Trump administration is expected to use this meeting to urge Iran to halt the development of nuclear weapons. At the same time, it is deploying a large number of carrier strike groups and fighter jets near Iran, increasing pressure through the threat of force.

In his speech that day, President Trump lavished praise on "Operation Midnight Hammer," which destroyed three of Iran's largest uranium enrichment facilities in June last year. He also said that Iranian authorities killed 32,000 protesters last month, calling them "really terrible people." As a result, there is growing speculation that if the negotiations fail to produce a satisfactory outcome, the United States may once again launch airstrikes against Iran.