President Donald Trump called on Iranian civilians to “immediately evacuate Tehran” on Monday evening, shortly after which the White House announced he would be departing the G7 summit early to “attend to many important matters.”
Less than two hours before his Truth Social post, Trump said at the G7 summit in Canada that the U.S. was talking to the Iranians by phone and even suggested it will be “better to talk in person.”
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Trump’s warnings echo those earlier in the day from Israeli officials, who urged hundreds of thousands of people in the Iranian capital to evacuate ahead of strikes in its escalating military campaign against Iran. Tehran has a population of nearly 10 million people. Footage from Iran shows massive traffic out of Tehran right now after Trump’s evacuation notice.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day declined to rule out targeting Iran’s supreme leader, something Trump had reportedly cautioned him against doing, the Hill reported. Israeli forces have also said they have damaged Iran’s air defense systems, giving Israel air superiority and the ability to essentially strike at will.
“Iran should have signed the “deal” I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” –President Donald J. Trump
It now appears the United States will be joining Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear facilities imminently. The first indicators came last night, when more than 30 U.S. Air Force refueling tankers took off—a move that does not happen without a major operation already in motion.
Next, the USS Nimitz carrier strike group was suddenly rerouted to the Middle East ahead of schedule, signaling a rapid escalation.
Then, the U.S. State Department issued a stark warning: “U.S. citizens unable to leave Iran should be prepared to shelter in place for an extended time.”
Shortly after, Defense official Pete Hegseth confirmed: “I directed the deployment of additional capabilities to CENTCOM.”
And now, President Trump has declared: “EVERYONE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE TEHRAN.”
Large explosions have been reported in Parchin, Iran, near Tehran, apparently from Israeli fighter jets. But reports coming out of Iran now say American warplanes have been spotted over Iranian airspace for the past few hours, possibly loaded and waiting for the green light from Trump to enter the fight.
***
Fordow is one of Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear facilities, located near the city of Qom. What makes it especially significant and extremely difficult to destroy is its location. The facility is buried deep inside a mountain, protected by hundreds of feet of rock and reinforced concrete. Originally built in secret and exposed in 2009, Fordow has been used by Iran to enrich uranium to dangerously high levels, reportedly nearing weapons-grade purity and putting them on the verge of developing a nuclear bomb.
However, Israel lacks the specific bunker-busting firepower needed to destroy a site this deeply buried. Even its most advanced conventional weapons, such as the Spice-1000 and other precision-guided munitions, are not powerful enough to fully collapse such a heavily reinforced structure.
The United States, by contrast, possesses the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a 30,000-pound bunker buster designed specifically to destroy deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordow. Only the U.S. B-2 stealth bomber is capable of carrying and delivering this weapon.
Therefore, if Israel wants to completely eliminate Iran’s nuclear program, it needs U.S. tactical firepower to ensure that Fordow is destroyed in a single, coordinated, and crippling strike.
VIDEO: What is believed to be the structure of Iran’s Fordow facility
Discussion
We appreciate your feedback. If you have any additional information to contribute to this article, it will be added below.
An oil rich nation like Iran does not need nuclear weapons.
There is no opposition.
Don’t wait for City Councilmember Crystal Hudson, Brad Landers, Rita Joseph & Democratic Socialist Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani to ask for another ceasefire, like they did before.
An oil rich nation like Iran does not need nuclear weapons.
There is no opposition.
Don’t wait for City Councilmember Crystal Hudson, Brad Landers, Rita Joseph & Democratic Socialist Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani to ask for another ceasefire, like they did before.
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2024/03/new-york-elected-officials-calling-ceasefire-gaza/394535/
https://x.com/ZohranKMamdani/status/1924440402922267022