• Donald Trump says his core "objectives are nearing completion" in Iran, during a primetime televised speech from the White House

• Trump’s Wednesday evening speech also called on allies to "build up the courage" to secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that the US doesn't "need it"

• After the speech, global oil prices rose to $105 a barrel

• Meanwhile, Iran's foreign ministry says Trump's claim that the country has asked for a ceasefire is "false and baseless", Iranian state media reports

• Trump says that the United States has successfully neutralized Iran's ability to produce a nuclear weapon, rendering their remaining enriched uranium irrelevant. During a national address, he said that Iranian anti-aircraft equipment and radar systems have been entirely destroyed, leaving the country without its primary defensive capabilities.


• Beyond these specific assets, the president noted that the U.S. military has struck more than 12,300 targets in Iran and destroyed at least 155 Iranian vessels since the conflict began on February 28th. Trump has also threatened to obliterate additional civilian and industrial infrastructure, including electric-generating plants and oil facilities, if a final deal is not reached to end the war.

Story Date: April 2, 2026