On February 28, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched joint military operations against the regime in Iran. This came after weeks of U.S.-Iran negotiations failed to resolve deep tensions regarding the Iranian regime’s nuclear program, ballistic missile stockpile, and support for terrorism. Context is vital to understand this war and avoid being misled by the misinformation and propaganda surrounding it.

For decades, Iran’s regime has brutally oppressed its own people, while exporting violence and suffering around the world.

Since it took power in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the regime has murdered and imprisoned countless Iranian citizens. According to some reports, Iranian forces massacred over 30,000 protesters in January 2026 alone.^[1]

Iran’s leaders have openly called for “death to America,” “death to Israel,” and death to all others who oppose their religious extremism.^[2]

Iran’s regime has exported violence across the Middle East and beyond. They supply weapons to Russia for its brutal invasion of Ukraine, aid drug cartels in South America, helped the Assad regime massacre its own people in Syria, and support terrorist groups that have brought destruction to Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Yemen and beyond.^[3]

Hostility against the U.S. and Israel fueled Iran’s current regime since 1979.^[4] #

Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran was ruled by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The Shah was backed by western powers such as the U.S. and UK, and had positive diplomatic relations with Israel.

While he worked to modernize Iran and grow its economy, the Shah’s government also censored, harassed, illegally detained, and tortured political opponents.

In the 1970s, political repression and other factors such as economic struggles and opposition to foreign influence created the conditions for a revolution.

At first, the revolution was driven by a coalition of secular progressives and Islamist religious extremists. However, the extremists, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, quickly took over and turned Iran into a brutally oppressive theocracy.

Instead of resolving conflicts peacefully, Iran’s regime has engaged in terrorism against Americans for nearly 50 years. #

In 1979, the Iranian regime took 66 Americans hostage, holding 52 of them for more than a year at the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Since 1979, Iran’s regime and its terrorist proxies have killed and wounded thousands of Americans. This includes the murder of 258 Americans in two 1983 bombings in Beirut.

The regime has attempted or inspired multiple assassination attempts in the United States, targeting opponents of the regime like Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad and novelist Salman Rushdie, as well as the President of the United States.

Iran’s leaders make genocidal threats against the world’s only Jewish state, while funding and arming groups committed to Israel destruction. #

Iran’s regime has:

• Repeatedly and openly called for Israel’s destruction.
• Armed and funded Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other genocidal terrorist groups.
• Backed horrific atrocities, including Hamas’s October 7th Massacre in Israel, bringing death and destruction to Israelis, Palestinians, and many other people across the region.

Iran’s regime has been developing a nuclear weapons program and building a massive stockpile of ballistic missiles. #

Iran’s nuclear program has included activities that have no connection to producing energy for civilians, and can only contribute to the development of nuclear weapons.^[5]

Iran’s regime reportedly has a stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, which can be quickly turned into weapons-grade uranium and used to build eleven atomic bombs. This material can also be used to build “dirty bombs” that spread toxic radiation.

The regime has built thousands of ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel and other regional targets, including some capable of carrying nuclear warheads.^[6]

Multiple sources report that between the 12 Day War in June, 2025 and the current war, Iran was rebuilding key elements of its nuclear and missile programs, and shielding them from future military strikes.^[7]

China was reportedly in talks to sell advanced missiles to Iran’s regime that can threaten the U.S. navy.^[8]

Iran’s military reportedly built an estimated 2,000 missiles, the largest arsenal in the Middle East.^[9]

The U.S. and its allies, including Israel, have defense systems that can intercept most incoming missiles. However, these systems are extremely expensive. The interceptors used to shoot down ballistic missiles reportedly cost between $1 million and $4 million each and are difficult to build.^[10]

Iran’s ballistic missiles are much cheaper and easier to make. With enough of these weapons, the Iranian regime could overwhelm even the most advanced defense systems and cause mass destruction.

Iran is ruled by religious extremists who cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons.^[11] #

Iran is a theocracy run by religious extremists.

Within the regime, there is an influential faction of fanatics who believe that by killing Americans, Israelis, and even other Muslims, they can bring about the return of the “mahdi.” They see the mahdi (also known as the Twelfth Imam) as a messiah-like figure who will conquer the world in an apocalyptic battle.

Iran’s former President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was part of this group of apocalyptic religious fanatics. The new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly part of it as well.

Nuclear weapons would make it dramatically harder to stop the Iranian regime’s other threats, including missile attacks, terrorism, and oppression of its own citizens.

The U.S. tried to negotiate with Iran’s regime before taking military action. #

The United States and Israel have both stated they would accept an agreement that fully dismantles the threats posed by Iran’s regime. The U.S. tried to negotiate with Iranian leaders, but concluded that “negotiations were going nowhere.”^[12]

Negotiations reportedly failed because Iranian leaders refused to halt nuclear enrichment, ballistic missile development, or support for terrorism.^[13]

When diplomacy failed and intelligence indicated continued nuclear and missile expansion, the U.S. and Israel launched military operations targeting:

• Regime leaders and forces of internal repression
• Nuclear facilities
• Ballistic missile systems
• Military infrastructure
• Naval assets tied to regional aggression

Iran’s actions during the war with the U.S. and Israel show how dangerous it would be to allow these threats to go unchecked:

• Iranian forces have attacked Israeli civilians, U.S. personnel, and at least twelve other states across the region with ballistic missiles and drones.
• Iran’s regime has harmed the global economy by trying to shut down the Strait of Hormuz – a vital shipping lane for oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and other materials.

The airstrike that hit a school in the Iranian city of Minab was a horrific tragedy. #

The death of Iranian children and other civilians in this war is horrific and tragic.

Initial reports indicate the U.S. accidentally struck a school in Minab, which was right next to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval compound.^[14] During the war, Iran’s regime has reportedly taken over multiple schools across the country and used them for military purposes.^[15]

The strike was widely exploited to promote misinformation.

Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, claimed the U.S. intentionally targeted the school. Regional and Western outlets quickly repeated this baseless claim, and in some cases failed to mention that it came from media controlled by Iran’s regime.

At the same time, opponents of the Iranian regime shared viral images claiming to show a misfired Iranian missile hitting the school. However, these were also found to be inaccurate.

In fast-moving conflicts, misinformation can spread much faster than the truth. To fully understand what is happening on the ground, it is important to slow down, verify sources, and wait for all the facts to come out.

The war has been weaponized to spread hateful and misleading narratives. #

Reasonable people can disagree about their government’s military and political decisions. However, there is no place for conspiracy theories that falsely blame Jews for global conflicts or minimize the threats posed by Iran’s regime.

• Claims that the U.S. is fighting “Israel’s war” or is “controlled by Israel” echo centuries-old antisemitic myths that fuel discrimination and violence against Jewish communities.
• Such narratives exploit fear and anger, while providing no real answers or solutions to the very real threats posed by Iran’s regime.
• Iran’s regime has called for the destruction of both the U.S. and Israel since 1979. The U.S. and Israel are fighting together because they both believe it is in their own interest.

We stand with Americans and Israelis who are defending their countries, and with Iranian civilians enduring violence and repression. #

We are grateful to American and Israeli service members who are risking their lives to confront the threats posed by Iran’s regime.

We stand with Israeli civilians spending days and nights in bomb shelters and suffering tragic losses from missile attacks.

We salute the brave Iranian citizens who continue to confront their own regime, despite severe repression and deadly crackdowns.

We hope U.S.-Israel military operations succeed in dismantling the grave threats posed by Iran’s regime and giving the Iranian people a chance to finally achieve freedom.

Endnotes #

1. Iran International’s Editorial Board, “Over 36,500 Killed in Iran’s Deadliest Massacre, Documents Reveal,” Iran International, January 25, 2026, at https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601255198; Kay Armin Serjoie, Roxana Saberi, and Fatemeh Jamalpour, “Iran Protest Death Toll Could Top 30,000, According to Local Health Officials,” Time, at https://time.com/7357635/more-than-30000-killed-in-iran-say-senior-officials/
2. StandWithUs, “Speech by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei…” Instagram, at https://www.instagram.com/reel/DK1EsC1CwlF/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==; MEMRI, X post, September 17, 2019, at https://x.com/i/status/1174215360859529216
3. Leo Chiu, “Iran Reportedly Sold $4B Worth of Arms to Moscow Since 2021,” Kyiv Post, January 13, 2026, at https://www.kyivpost.com/post/67983; Iran International, “Mexico Cartel Violence Revives Scrutiny of Iran-Linked Networks,” Iran International, February 24, 2026, at https://www.iranintl.com/en/202602247024; “Iran’s Influence in the Middle East,” UK House of Commons Library Research Briefing No. CBP-9504, July 25, 2024, at https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9504/CBP-9504.pdf; Center for Preventive Action, “Iran’s War With Israel and the United States,” Council on Foreign Relations, updated March 13, 2026, at https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/confrontation-between-united-states-and-iran
4. Professor Campbell, Khomeini sources, at http://www.professorcampbell.org/sources/khomeini.html; “Iranian Revolution,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, at https://www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution
5. David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, and Spencer Faragasso, “Analysis of IAEA Iran Verification and Monitoring Report — May 2025,” Institute for Science and International Security, June 9, 2025, at https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/analysis-of-iaea-iran-verification-and-monitoring-report-may-2025
6. “Assessing Iran’s Ballistic Missiles,” International Institute for Strategic Studies, February 2018, at https://www.iiss.org/globalassets/media-library—content–migration/images/comment/analysis/2018/february/documents/assessing-irans-ballistic-missiles-iiss-report-2018.pdf; “Iran’s Weakened Position and the Status of Its Nuclear Option,” International Institute for Strategic Studies, November 2024, at https://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-comments/2024/11/irans-weakened-position-and-the-status-of-its-nuclear-option/; Fabian Hinz, “Israel’s Attack and the Limits of Iran’s Missile Strategy,” International Institute for Strategic Studies, June 18, 2025, at https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/online-analysis/2025/06/israels-attack-and-the-limits-of-irans-missile-strategy/
7. David Albright, “New Activity at the Esfahan Nuclear Complex,” Institute for Science and International Security, January 29, 2026, at https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/new-activity-at-the-esfahan-nuclear-complex; “Western Intelligence Says Iran Is Rearming Despite UN Sanctions, with China’s Help,” CNN, October 29, 2025, at https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/29/middleeast/iran-rebuilding-ballistic-weapons-program-intl
8. “Iran Nears Deal to Buy Supersonic Anti-Ship Missiles from China,” Reuters, February 24, 2026, at https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iran-nears-deal-buy-supersonic-anti-ship-missiles-china-2026-02-24/
9. Zineb Riboua, “Under Beijing’s Wing: Iran’s Arsenal,” Beyond the Ideological, March 3, 2026, at https://www.zinebriboua.com/p/under-beijings-wing-irans-arsenal
10. Zineb Riboua, “Under Beijing’s Wing: Iran’s Arsenal,” Beyond the Ideological, March 3, 2026, at https://www.zinebriboua.com/p/under-beijings-wing-irans-arsenal
11. Savyon, “Iranian Regime Under Mojtaba Khamenei: Religious Apocalyptic Radicalization and Violent Takeover,” Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), March 13, 2026, at https://www.memri.org/reports/iranian-regime-under-mojtaba-khamenei-religious-apocalyptic-radicalization-violent-takeover
12. Barak Ravid, “Trump and Netanyahu Discussed Iran War and U.S.-Israel Coordination,” Axios, March 3, 2026, at https://www.axios.com/2026/03/03/trump-netanyahu-call-iran-war-israel-coordination
13. “Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Nuclear Enrichment,” CBS News, February 22, 2026 at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iranian-foreign-minister-abbas-araghchi-nuclear-enrichment-us-geneva/; “U.S. Official: We Offered Iran Free Nuclear Fuel Forever, But They Refused,” Times of Israel, February 28, 2026 at https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-official-we-offered-iran-free-nuclear-fuel-forever-but-they-refused-they-wanted-enrichment-for-a-nuclear-bomb/; Mariamne Everett, “‘Non-negotiable’: Iran says missiles off the table in talks with the US,” Al Jazeera, February 7, 2026, at https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/7/iran-says-oman-mediated-talks-with-us-a-good-start; Maya Cohen, “Iran sent $1b to Hezbollah in four months as water crisis worsens, researcher says,” Jerusalem Post, November 26, 2025, at https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-876320
14. Tom Bowman, Kat Lonsdorf, Geoff Brumfiel, NPR Staff, “Pentagon Probe Points to U.S. Missile Hitting Iranian School,” NPR, March 11, 2026, at https://www.npr.org/2026/03/11/nx-s1-5744981/pentagon-iran-missile-school-hegseth
15. Masih Alinejad, X post, March 3, 2026, at https://x.com/AlinejadMasih/status/2028843121958609270