President Donald Trump has introduced a new claim about Iranian facilities targeted by the United States, saying some of the sites were also being used as drug factories.
Speaking about the strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, Trump said the facilities had a role beyond nuclear activity. CNN reported that he did not provide evidence supporting the drug-related claim or specify what type of drugs he was referring to.
The facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan have long been identified publicly as major parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. International monitoring and U.S. government assessments have focused on their uranium enrichment, research, and related nuclear activities.
CNN noted that there is no publicly available evidence establishing that those nuclear sites were producing illegal drugs.
Trump has separately spoken frequently about drug trafficking and U.S. efforts to stop narcotics from entering the country. His latest comments connected that issue with the Iranian facilities without offering additional details.
The statement adds a new element to Trump’s public description of the military strikes and their intended targets.