President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, asserting that the United States is prepared to take renewed action if Tehran attempts to restart its nuclear program. The statement underscores ongoing tensions following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. Trump’s firm stance reiterates his administration's commitment to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
The warning comes weeks after the U.S. military, under "Operation Midnight Hammer," conducted precision strikes on June 21, 2025, targeting key Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. These operations were described by the White House as aiming to destroy Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity. The attacks utilized powerful GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators against the deeply buried Fordow facility.
While President Trump initially claimed the sites were "completely obliterated" and that Iran's program was set back by "years," intelligence assessments from the Pentagon and other U.S. agencies have suggested a more modest impact, indicating a setback of only "months." This discrepancy has fueled debate regarding the long-term effectiveness of the strikes. Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have acknowledged damage but also hinted at the possibility of continuing enrichment for civilian purposes.
In the wake of the strikes, Iran's parliament approved a bill to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accusing the body of complicity in the attacks. This move further complicates international efforts to monitor Iran's nuclear activities. The U.S. strikes and subsequent warnings also occur amidst escalating regional conflict, particularly between Iran and Israel, with the U.S. directly intervening.
President Trump has consistently maintained that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons, a position he has held since withdrawing the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during his previous term. His latest warning, shared in a tweet, directly quotes his resolve:
“As soon as Iran starts again, we will be back. I think they understand that.” This statement reinforces the administration's "peace through strength" approach and its readiness to employ military force to achieve its non-proliferation objectives.