What They’re Saying About Operation Epic Fury—April 24, 2026

U.S.

President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalist

[When asked whether, in order to reach an agreement with the U.S., the Iranian regime must stop funding Hezbollah] “Yes, that is a must.”

President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalist

“No, I wouldn't use it. Why would I use a nuclear weapon when we've, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it? A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody."

President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalist

“I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now. Do you know that if I left right now, we had a tremendous success. It would take them 20 years to rebuild. But I don’t want to do that. I want to have it everlasting. I want to have it . . . where they never have a chance to get [nuclear weapons]. . . . We have total control of the Strait. . . . They [the Iranian regime] would have opened it up three days ago. They came to us and they said, ‘We will agree to open the Strait.’ And all my people are happy. Everybody was happy except me. I said, if we open the Strait, that means they’re going to make $500 million a day. I don’t want them to make $500 million a day until they settle this thing.”

President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalist

“I have all the time in the world, but Iran doesn’t. Don’t rush me. Don’t rush me. Every story I see, ‘Oh, Trump is under time pressure.’ I’m not. No, no. You know who’s under time pressure? They are.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio | X

“Nothing from the U.S. has told [the Iranian men’s soccer team] they can’t come [to the U.S. for the World Cup]. . . . The problem with Iran would be not their athletes—it would be some of the other people they want to bring with them, some of whom have ties to the IRGC. We may not be able to let them in, but not the athletes. . . . But what they can’t bring is a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they’re journalists and athletic trainers.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth | Press Briefing

“President Trump has authorized the United States Navy to destroy any Iranian fast boats that attempt to put mines in the water or disrupt passage through the Strait of Hormuz—to shoot and kill. Our commanders have clear rules of engagement: if Iran is putting mines in the water or otherwise threatening American commercial shipping or American forces, we will shoot to destroy. No hesitation; just like the drug boats in the Caribbean.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth | Press Briefing

“The United States has imposed an ironclad blockade that grows more powerful by the day, from the Gulf of Oman to the open oceans. Our Navy is enforcing this blockade without hesitation or apology . . . every ship that the U.S. believes meets our criteria—either Iranian ships or [ships going] to and from Iranian ports—has been turned around. Not only is the blockade growing, in fact, a second aircraft carrier will join the blockade in just a few days; but this growing blockade has also gone global. Just this week, we seized two Iranian dark fleet ships in the Indo-Pacific region that had left Iranian ports before the blockade went into effect.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth | Press Briefing

“To the regime in Tehran: The blockade is tightening by the hour. We are in control. Nothing in—nothing out. Iran’s battered military—the IRGC specifically—has been reduced to a gang of pirates with a flag. They cloak their aggression in slogans, but the world now sees them for what they are: criminals on the high seas.”

Central Command | X

“The blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports continues. To date, U.S. forces have redirected 34 vessels.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt | Comments to Journalist

“The president has decided to dispatch Special Envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner back to Islamabad. The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person, and the president is . . . always willing to give diplomacy a chance.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton | X

“President Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has crippled Iran’s economy. Time is running out for Iran’s terrorist regime.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton | X

“President Trump has made clear and simple demands. Iran should take him seriously.”

Sen. Chris Murphy | X

“The Iran War has become a corruption racket for the people close to President Trump. This war is killing Americans, causing a global food crisis, making Iran stronger, making America weaker, and enabling some of the most massive corruption in our history.”

IRAN

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei | X

“Due to the strange unity created among compatriots, a fracture has occurred in the enemy. With the practical gratitude for this blessing, cohesion has become even greater and more steel-like, and the enemies will become more wretched and diminished. The enemy’s media operations, by targeting the minds and psyches of the people, intend to undermine national unity and security; may our negligence not allow this sinister intent to come to fruition.”

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf | X

“In Iran, there are no radicals or moderates; we are all ‘Iranian’ and ‘revolutionary,’ and with the iron unity of the nation and government, with complete obedience to the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, we will make the aggressor criminal regret his actions. One God, one leader, one nation, and one path; that path being the path to victory for Iran, dearer than life.”

Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i | X

“The despicable President of America must know that ‘hardliner’ and ‘moderate’ are fabricated and baseless terms that are prevalent in Western political discourse. In Islamic Iran, all strata and factions ultimately maintain their integrity and cohesion under the directives of the esteemed Leader of the Revolution.”

President Masoud Pezeshkian | X

“In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates’ We are all Iranians and revolutionaries. With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret. One God, one nation, one leader, one path; victory for Iran, dearer than life.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi | X

“Embarking on timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow. Purpose of my visits is to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments. Our neighbors are our priority.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi | X

“The failure of Israel's terrorist killings is reflected in how Iran's state institutions continue to act with unity, purpose, and discipline. The battlefield and diplomacy are fully coordinated fronts in the same war. Iranians are all united, more than ever before.”

EUROPE

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas | Remarks to Journalists

“If the talks are only about the nuclear and there are no nuclear experts around the table, then we will end up with an agreement that is weaker than the JCPOA was. And the problems in the region, missile programmes, their support to proxies, also hybrid and cyber activities in Europe are not addressed. So, we will end up with a more dangerous Iran, and actually, we are then strengthening them.”