US President Donald Trump, in his first national address since the war began, stated that Iran’s military strength is rapidly weakening. He claimed that the country’s key defence systems have been severely damaged.

According to him, Iran’s naval forces no longer exist, its air force is in a broken state, and many of its top leaders have been killed. He also said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leadership has been heavily targeted. He described the situation by saying its “navy is gone, air force in ruins, leaders, most of them are dead, IRGC commander decimated as we speak.”

First National Address Since War Began

This speech held importance because it marked Trump’s first formal address to the nation since the United States joined Israel in launching military action against Iran over a month ago.

He delivered the speech from the White House at a crucial time. Critics have been questioning his control over the situation and whether he can meet the main goals of the war. Earlier, Trump had repeatedly claimed that the US had already secured victory and dismissed responsibility for the global economic disruptions caused by the conflict.

Update on Military Operation

During the address, Trump shared updates on Operation Epic Fury, outlining what he described as major progress. He insisted that the US military has successfully achieved all its planned objectives.

To justify the war, he argued that Iran was extremely close to developing a nuclear weapon. He described the country as being “right at the doorstep” of acquiring such capability.

However, this statement appeared inconsistent with his earlier remarks made just hours before, where he had said he was not concerned about Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium (HEU). At that time, he argued that the material was stored deep underground and could be tracked using satellites.

‘Very Close to Finishing the Job’

Trump expressed confidence that the US is nearing the completion of its mission in Iran. He said that America is close to “finishing the job” and once again mentioned a possible timeline of “two to three weeks.”

Trump also criticised US allies for not actively participating in the military campaign. He urged them to take responsibility for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route.

At the same time, Trump made it clear that the US would not take responsibility for reopening the strait, noting that the country has not depended on it for oil in recent days.

Warning Over Missile Threat

The US president warned that Iran’s missile programme could soon pose a global threat. He said these missiles might be capable of reaching the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world.

He referred to a recent attempt by Iran to target a US-UK military base located more than 2,000 miles away. This incident raised concerns about Iran’s long-range strike capabilities.

“They wanted to produce as many missiles as possible, and they did with the longest range possible, and they had some weapons that nobody believed they had. We just learned that," he said. He further added,"We took them out. We took them all out.”

War Framed as Global Security Measure

Trump defended the war by presenting it as necessary for both US safety and global security. He described the conflict as a response to decades of hostile actions by Iran and its allies.

He pointed to past attacks, including the bombing of a US Marine barracks nearly 40 years ago and the USS Cole attack in 2000, to justify the military action.

“For these terrorists to have nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat,” he said. “The most violent and thuggish regime on Earth would be free to carry out its campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield,” he said.

Criticism of Previous US Leaders

Trump also criticised former US presidents, saying they should have dealt with Iran earlier. He suggested that earlier action could have prevented the current situation.

He added that the US does not rely on Iran for resources but is involved in the conflict to support its allies. “We don’t have to be there. We don’t need their oil," he said. He further added, "We don’t need anything they have, but we’re there to help our allies.”

Shift in Position on Regime Change

In a notable shift, Trump said that changing Iran’s government was never an official goal of the war. However, he claimed that leadership change has effectively happened due to the deaths of key figures.

“We never said regime change—but regime change has occurred because of all of their original leaders’ deaths. They’re all dead. The new group is less radical and much more reasonable,” he said.

Warning of Further Attacks

Trump ended his address with a strong warning. He said that if no agreement is reached with Iran, the US is prepared to carry out further strikes.

“Yet if during this period of time no deal is made, we have our eyes on key targets. If there is no deal, we are going to hit every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously,” he furthered.