Iran

But the fall of Syria’s Assad and the weakened states of Hamas and Hezbollah have diminished Iran’s influence. At the same time, domestic unrest and a struggling economy create growing threats to Iran’s clerical rulers. The Trump administration has an historic opportunity to use diplomacy to move Iran away from its dangerous nuclear brinkmanship and toward a better future for the Iranian
people.

Call on Congress to support diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring or developing a nuclear weapon.

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In the early hours of Saturday, February 28, President Trump ordered strikes against Iran in what he described as the beginning of “major combat operations” to destroy the country’s military capabilities and eliminate the threat of it creating a nuclear weapon. In coordination with the Israeli government, the Trump administration launched hundreds of airstrikes appearing to target military assets and senior Iranian leadership. In response, the Iranian regime launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks on American bases and allies. It’s unclear when the next wave of strikes will be conducted, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the “operation will continue as long as necessary – patience is needed.” Both Netanyahu and Trump have called on the Iranian people to overthrow the regime. 

The escalation follows months of deteriorating diplomacy after Israeli strikes in early June—known as Operation Rising Lion—targeted Iran’s enrichment facility at Natanz, nuclear scientists linked to the program, and elements of Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure. On June 21, the Trump administration joined the Israeli operation without congressional authorization, striking three Iranian nuclear facilities. Although a ceasefire was reached days later, U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations collapsed, Iran restricted access for international inspectors to key nuclear sites, and the United Kingdom, France, and Germany subsequently triggered the snapback of United Nations sanctions on Iran. 

Initial U.S. intelligence assessments suggested the earlier strikes set back Iran’s nuclear program only by months, while the status of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remained uncertain. With direct hostilities now underway between Iran, Israel, and the United States, the risk of a wider regional war has increased significantly, diplomatic channels remain strained, and international monitoring of Iran’s nuclear program is severely limited.