Trump says Iran developing missiles capable of reaching United States, signals openness to diplomacy

“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,” the president said. His remarks highlighted growing concerns within his administration about Tehran’s missile program.

Trump’s comments came as the Pentagon has built up a large military presence near Iran. The deployment includes dozens of warships, two aircraft carrier strike groups, fighter jets, refueling aircraft and air defense systems in the U.S. Central Command region.

Even with that show of force, the administration has not ruled out diplomacy. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Iranian officials in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday for another round of nuclear talks.

Earlier this year, the Defense Intelligence Agency assessed that Iran could have 60 intercontinental ballistic missiles by 2035. The one-page report also stated that Iran currently has no deployed ICBMs.

“Iran has space launch vehicles it could use to develop a militarily-viable ICBM by 2035 should Tehran decide to pursue the capability,” the DIA said in the report. “The majority of systems presented here have nuclear-capable variants.”

Trump said he prefers a diplomatic solution to the standoff. “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy,” he said.

At the same time, he signaled a firm stance against Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. “But one thing is certain: I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Source: The Hill.