This piece was written on Feb. 26 as an explainer on the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Given the rapidly changing nature of this situation, we encourage readers to seek out the latest news for the most current updates.
Tensions are rising between the United States and Iran as President Donald Trump threatens to bomb Iran over its nuclear ambitions. This escalation follows the June 2025 airstrike carried out by the U.S., which killed at least 430 Iranians and injured at least another 3,500.
On June 22, 2025, the U.S. government bombed several of Iran’s nuclear facilities— including the fortified uranium enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan— as part of Operation Midnight Hammer. The strike was intended to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program and prevent Tehran, the capital city, from developing nuclear weapon capability. The Center for Strategic and International Studies claimed that “Iran was closer than ever before to having the ability to manufacture an atomic bomb,” and that “Iran walked away from the negotiating table, signaling it was not interested in diplomacy” following the attacks.
Earlier, in March 2025, President Trump reportedly issued a 60-day ultimatum for Iran to return to negotiations, to which Tehran did not respond. On June 12, 2025, Israel launched an air campaign on Iran, degrading the country’s air defense and creating a window for Operation Midnight Hammer to strike. In a speech after the attack, Trump declared that the strike was a “spectacular military success” and stated that “Iran’s key enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.”
During his State of the Union address, Trump condemned Iran for its “sinister nuclear ambitions,” while Iran accused him of repeating “big lies” about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Although Iran was only briefly mentioned in the speech, Trump emphasized that the Iranian regime had developed ballistic missiles capable of threatening Europe and U.S. bases, and claimed that Iran was pursuing intercontinental ballistic missiles “that will soon reach the U.S.”
“They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, and in particular nuclear weapons, yet they continue,” Trump said, adding that “They’re starting it all over. We wiped it out, and they want to start it all over again and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions.” He repeatedly stressed that he would never allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon. In response, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry posted on social media saying that “Professional liars are masters at creating the illusion of truth.’ Repeat a lie often enough until it becomes the truth,’ a propaganda maxim coined by Nazi Joseph Goebbels, is now being systematically employed by the US administration and its war profiteers. The statement accused Trump and his allies in the Israeli government of lying about Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile capabilities.
While Trump has not made a final determination on further strikes, his administration is preparing for a last-ditch round of negotiations with Iran in Geneva. These talks will be led by Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. If no deal is made by the conclusion of the talks, Trump has told advisors that he will consider limited strikes to pressure Iran. If that fails, Trump is willing to launch a far larger attack to force regime change.
The decision to appoint Witkoff and Kushner has drawn criticism. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina questioned why the two are leading peace talks, noting that Kushner is Trump’s son-in-law and Witkoff is a longtime Trump ally and real estate developer. Tillis stated that “Kushner and Witkoff are very accomplished businesspeople. I’m sure they’re good negotiators, but they’re not subject to Senate confirmation, and they’re not subject to oversight.” The GOP senator added that having Kusher and Witkoff in charge of national security negotiations “doesn’t make any sense.”
Despite ongoing negotiations, the U.S. military has begun to build up the largest force of warships and aircraft in the Middle East since the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003. The Associated Press reported that Trump ordered the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with three destroyers and more than 5,000 additional service members, to head to the Middle East. On top of that, the Associated Press also stated that “more than 100 fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s, F-15s and F-16s, left bases in the U.S. and Europe and were spotted heading toward the Middle East by the Military Air Tracking Alliance.”
Michael O’Hanlon, a defense and foreign policy analyst at the Brookings Institution, says that the U.S. could use a long-range B-2 bomber, as it did in June, to strike what is left of Iran’s nuclear program. Instead, the forces currently deployed are designed to attack targets in Iran and defend against retaliation.
As the threat of a regional war between the United States and Iran looms on the horizon, we are starkly reminded of the fragility of the modern world. The hum of warplanes and naval vessels hovers over Tehran, while the echo of last year’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites reverberates through tense negotiations in distant capitals. As diplomats deliberate, the shadow of mass destruction hangs over every decision, a chilling reminder that a single misstep could ignite a chain reaction with consequences felt around the globe. In this precarious moment, no borders or armies can shield humanity from the ripple of devastation, and the choices of a few leaders carry the terrifying power to reshape the course of history in a single day.