WASHINGTON -- The United States said on February 28 that it launched preemptive military strikes against Iran after concluding that Tehran was preparing to use its missile arsenal against US forces and allies and had no intention of agreeing to meaningful limits on its nuclear program.
On a background call with reporters, senior administration officials argued that intelligence indicating a potential preemptive Iranian strike, combined with what they described as failed nuclear negotiations, left US President Donald Trump with “no choice” but to act.
The officials said the decision was driven by what they characterized as a dual threat: Iran’s long-term ambition to acquire nuclear weapons and its immediate conventional missile capabilities.
One official said the administration believed Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, particularly in the country’s southern belt, posed an “intolerable risk” to US forces in the region. Acting before those missiles could be launched, the official said, would significantly reduce potential casualties compared to waiting for Iran to strike first.
The official added that US intelligence suggested Iran could use its missiles preemptively or in response to any action against it. Since the strikes on February 28, the officials said, Iranian forces have targeted civilian locations, including hotels and airports in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as US bases in the region.
According to the officials, Iran has consistently refused to discuss limits on its ballistic missile program, a position they called unacceptable.
Diplomacy Deemed 'Fruitless'
The officials also described months of negotiations aimed at securing what they called a “real deal” -- one that would address not only nuclear enrichment but also Iran’s regional activities and proxy networks.
They said the president had instructed negotiators to seek an agreement that would permanently block Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and address regional instability. As part of that effort, Washington offered to support a civilian nuclear program for Iran, including a proposal to supply nuclear fuel free of charge on a long-term basis.
Iran rejected that offer and insisted on retaining uranium-enrichment capabilities, the officials said, which they viewed as a key sign that Tehran wanted to preserve the option of moving toward weapons-grade material in the future.
The officials said Iranian negotiators presented a seven-page proposal outlining their internal nuclear requirements but did not leave a copy behind. According to the administration, the plan envisioned enrichment capacity that would exceed the limits set under the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
They said US intelligence indicated Iran had developed the capacity to produce advanced IR-6 centrifuges and had stockpiled uranium enriched to 20 percent and 60 percent purity -- levels that could be further enriched to weapons-grade levels in a short period of time.
Officials also cited findings attributed to the International Atomic Energy Agency indicating that material purportedly intended for research had not been used as claimed.
They said they presented their conclusions to President Trump, who ultimately authorized the strikes. While acknowledging that a short-term agreement might have been possible, they argued it would not have addressed what they see as the long-term threat posed by Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities.
The officials did not take questions during the call. The White House said further public comments would follow in the coming days.
