Trump Offers New Justification for Iran War, Says Tehran Was Making Drugs

Washington, US President Donald Trump has offered a new justification for the US military campaign against Iran, claiming that Tehran was producing drugs in addition to pursuing nuclear activities.
Speaking at a rally in Durant, Oklahoma, Trump referred to Operation Midnight Hammer, the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. He said American bombers had also targeted “drug factories” in Iran, which he claimed were involved in both nuclear and drug-related activities.
“They were doing nuclear and drugs,” Trump said. “These drug factories and nuclear factories were hit very hard.” Official records, however, identify the sites targeted in the operation as Iranian nuclear facilities, not drug factories.�
It was the first time Trump had cited drug production as part of his explanation for the conflict with Iran. He has previously said that the main purpose of the US operation was to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Trump has also used counter-narcotics allegations to justify military action in the eastern Pacific, the Caribbean and Venezuela. Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denied those allegations.
Americans Oppose Trump’s Iran Policy
A CNN/SSRS poll conducted on September 16 and 17 found that 73% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict, while 26% approved. Around 75% said the president did not have a clear plan for dealing with Iran. The survey included 1,206 respondents.�
Tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the wider regional conflict remain unresolved. Trump’s latest explanation has raised further questions about the stated objectives of the US military campaign against Iran.