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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Shweta Sharma

Five things Trump said during his national address on the Iran war

  1. During the speech, Trump articulated the necessity of 'Operation Epic Fury' for American safety and global security, seeking to clarify his administration's rationale for the conflict. He claimed that he achieved what no other leader would by preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, deeming such a development an 'intolerable threat'.
  2. Trump claimed Iran’s ballistic missile capability had been significantly degraded and that the broader threat from the country was effectively neutralised, yet he provided little evidence to support these assertions or explain how such operations curbed Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, which his administration had previously stated were 'obliterated' by June strikes.
  3. He also claimed that "core strategic objectives" against Iran were "nearing completion", asserting that Iran's navy had been "absolutely destroyed", its air force and missile programme significantly damaged, and its defence industrial base "annihilated", thereby dismantling the regime's ability to threaten America or project power.
  4. The president urged allies to "build up some delayed courage" and "take the lead" in efforts to regain control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway effectively closed by the Iranian regime following US and Israeli actions, which has sparked a global energy crisis and sharply increased oil and gas prices.
  5. Trump warned that the US is prepared to escalate its military campaign against Iran over the next two to three weeks, threatening to 'hit them extremely hard' and 'bring them back to the Stone Age', while simultaneously playing down the impact of any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz on US energy needs.

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