Tehran responds in particularly harsh terms to Donald Trump’s recent address, warning of escalating military operations. A spokesperson for Iran’s United Armed Forces Command made it clear that there is no room for diplomatic compromise, emphasizing that “the war will continue until the enemy’s surrender and permanent repentance.”
At the same time, the Iranian side issued a clear warning to the United States and Israel, speaking of imminent “more extensive, stronger and devastating attacks,” intensifying the climate of concern about further escalation in the region.
Donald Trump’s address: Iran was “on the threshold” of developing nuclear weapons
The US is “close to completing” its military and strategic objectives – particularly in preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons – and is committed to “finishing the job” in the immediate future, American President Donald Trump emphasized early Thursday morning during his first address to the nation one month after the start of this war. “Our enemies are losing and America is winning,” he declared and defended his decision to declare war against Iran. “Tonight, I am happy to tell you that we are close to achieving our strategic objectives,” Trump characteristically said from the White House.
He boasted of the “decisive” and “crushing” victories of the US military against Iran since the start of the war, emphasizing that “during the last four weeks, our armed forces achieved rapid, decisive and crushing victories on the battlefield – victories the world has never seen before,” the American president insisted. Trump blamed the Iranian side for rising gasoline prices and pledged that the US is “better prepared than ever” to deal with the economic consequences of the war.
Trump called on US allies to “find the courage” to secure navigation in the Straits
As he has done in recent days, Trump also called on US allies to “find the courage” to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also spoke about US and Venezuelan oil production, saying the United States does not need oil from abroad. He mentioned that countries that need oil from the Middle East should now take initiative to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Energy shipments have largely stopped, following Iran’s response to American-Israeli attacks with threats of attacks on ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical commercial maritime passage. Trump said: “To those countries that cannot secure fuel, many of which refuse to engage in the decapitation campaign against Iran… get some belated courage, go to the Strait and just take it. Protect it.” Trump also called on countries to buy American oil instead of other sources.
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Trump thanked the American military
Trump began his address by congratulating the NASA team for the successful launch of the Artemis II mission and praising the “brave” crew traveling to the Moon. He then referred to the completion of one month since the start of Operation “Epic Fury” against Iran. “Tonight, Iran’s navy has been destroyed, its air force is in ruins, and its leaders — most of them — are now dead,” he declared. Trump added that Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones has been dramatically limited, while mentioning that he visited Dover Air Force Base to honor the 13 American soldiers killed in the war. “We pay tribute to them and now we must honor them by completing the mission,” he added.
The US president also thanked the American military for the swift operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, saying it was praised worldwide. He added that the US and Venezuela now have good relations, characterizing them as “business partners,” and that they no longer depend on Middle Eastern oil — unlike their allies who continue to depend on it.
Trump noted that during his first term he oversaw the US assassination of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, whom he calls the “father of the roadside bomb.” Trump says that if Soleimani were still alive, “we probably would have had a different conversation tonight, but you know what? we would still be winning and winning by a large margin.”
He said he was addressing the nation to explain why Operation “Epic Fury” is “necessary for America’s security” and the world’s. Citing terrorist attacks and other actions that, he said, have been carried out by Iran or its proxies over the past 47 years, he characterized the country’s regime as “thuggish and murderous,” also highlighting a recent crackdown on demonstrations in the country that, he said, cost the lives of thousands of citizens. He emphasized that leaders like these should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. “I will never allow that,” he said. Iran did not abandon its nuclear program and was rapidly developing longer-range missiles, Trump said. “It was ‘on the threshold’ of developing nuclear weapons,” he said.
“The war is a real investment for America’s children and future generations”
Trump characterized the nuclear deal negotiated by former US President Barack Obama as a mistake and said it was his honor to terminate it. The US president then referred to an attack he said he ordered in June 2025, Operation “Midnight Hammer,” against Iran’s nuclear program. “No one has ever seen anything like it,” he said. “We completely eliminated those nuclear targets.” Trump thanked US allies in the region, including Israel and the Gulf states. “They have been exceptional and we will not allow them to be harmed or fail in any way,” he said. He noted that Iran has attacked many of these states and said this underscores why Iran should never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
He also said the US is an unstoppable military force. He argues that the war is “a real investment” for America’s children and future generations. He then referred to the duration of 20th and 21st century wars, saying they lasted for years, while this conflict has lasted only 32 days. Trump said Americans are no longer threatened by Iranian aggression and “the specter of nuclear blackmail,” and that the US will be “safer, stronger and more prosperous” than ever.
