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U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday, Feb. 25, that while he prefers a diplomatic solution with Iran, he will never allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon under any circumstances, delivering his sharpest public message on the issue during his 2026 State of the Union address.
"My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy, but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terrorism, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon. Can't let that happen," Trump told a joint session of Congress.
Trump also accused Iran of working to rebuild its nuclear program and develop long-range missiles capable of reaching American soil.
"They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America," Trump said.
"They were warned not to try to rebuild their weapons programs, especially their nuclear weapons. Yet they're starting all over again," he added.
Tehran currently possesses short- and medium-range ballistic missiles with ranges topping out at about 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers), according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
The continental United States is more than 6,000 miles from Iran's western tip.
In 2025, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) said Iran could potentially develop a militarily viable intercontinental ballistic missile by 2035 "should Tehran decide to pursue the capability" but did not say if such a decision had been made.
Trump said it has been a fundamental U.S. policy for decades to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last year, claiming afterward that Tehran's atomic program was obliterated.
"At this moment, they are again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions," Trump stated.
Trump confirmed that negotiations with Iran are ongoing but said Washington has yet to hear the "secret words" it needs.
"We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words: 'We will never have a nuclear weapon,'" Trump said.
Delegations from Iran and the U.S. are set to hold a third round of indirect nuclear negotiations under Omani mediation in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Tehran will resume talks with the U.S. in Geneva "with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal in the shortest possible time."
Earlier Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a closed-door briefing to senior U.S. lawmakers on Iran as Trump mulled strikes against the country.
The United States has repeatedly called for zero uranium enrichment by Iran and has also sought to address its ballistic missile program and support for armed groups in the region, demands that Iran has rejected.
Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing nuclear weapons.
Trump's speech, which lasted one hour and 47 minutes, set the record for the longest State of the Union address in U.S. history, surpassing former President Bill Clinton's one-hour and 20-minute address in 2000.
The speech primarily focused on domestic issues.
On foreign policy, Trump repeated his claim that he had brought eight wars to an end since returning to office in January 2025.
He hailed NATO's decision to spend 5% of gross domestic product on defense, a move made under heavy pressure from his administration.
Trump said he was working to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but made no mention of China.
In Gaza, Trump said securing the ceasefire was a critical turning point for Middle East peace, noting Hamas had made significant efforts regarding the return of deceased hostages.
Trump also claimed 32,000 people were killed during protests in Iran and repeated his assertion that his intervention stopped the execution of hundreds of demonstrators.
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