US President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address, among other things, to lay out the case for potential military action against Iran, accusing its leadership of spreading "terrorism and death and hate" and pursuing nuclear weapons.
About 90 minutes into his speech at the United States Capitol, Trump said he would not allow what he called the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism to obtain a nuclear bomb. He cited Tehran's support for militant groups, missile development and its nuclear program as threats to US security.
The remarks came amid a significant US military buildup in the Middle East and rising speculation about possible strikes if diplomacy fails. Trump said he preferred a negotiated solution but claimed Iranian leaders had not offered firm assurances they would abandon nuclear ambitions.
Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons and says its program is for civilian energy. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson rejected Trump's claims as "big lies," disputing his assertions about missile capabilities and the scale of deaths during recent protests.
While Trump devoted most of his nearly two-hour address to domestic issues, his comments on Iran underscored the possibility of a new foreign confrontation despite his long-standing pledge to avoid "forever wars".