Tensions between the United States and Iran reached a new peak in February 2026 after President Donald Trump ordered major military strikes against Iranian strategic sites and framed them as efforts to stop nuclear and missile threats.
The U.S. moves are part of an expanded strategy in the Middle East aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile capacity and weakening the influence of its military wings. Trump has publicly warned Tehran and called on the Iranian people to challenge their leadership once the conflict subsides.
Iran’s officials have responded with firm defiance. Tehran has dismissed Trump’s claims about long-range missile developments and resumed nuclear ambitions as “big lies,” saying the U.S. rhetoric misrepresents the facts and serves only to justify aggression. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said the allegations about nuclear efforts, missiles, and internal protests are repeated falsehoods.
In state media and political statements, Iranian leaders have framed U.S. pressure as arrogance and bullying. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized what he calls coercive diplomacy backed by threats, arguing such tactics are aimed at domination rather than resolution. Past statements from Iranian leadership emphasize that foreign powers underestimate Iran’s resilience and commitment to self-determination.
Iran’s official posture blends readiness for defense with openness to diplomatic talks that respect national dignity. But in Tehran’s rhetoric, assertions that external arrogance will fail underline the belief that Iran can withstand pressure and outlast strategic confrontations with the U.S.
