United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has only about 21 to 22 percent of its missile stockpile remaining, insisting that the country’s military capabilities have been significantly weakened despite recent missile launches across the region.
Speaking in an interview with NBC News, Trump said Iran still retains some military capacity, including missiles and drones, but argued that its arsenal has been drastically reduced.
“They still have capacity. They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say, percentage-wise, maybe 21 or 22 percent of their missiles,” Trump stated.
The latest estimate marks a slight increase from a figure Trump gave in May, when he claimed Iran had just 18 percent of its missile inventory left. The US president has repeatedly maintained that recent military actions and pressure campaigns have severely damaged Iran’s ability to wage war.
Trump’s comments come amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, despite efforts to maintain a fragile ceasefire in the region.
The remarks also follow reports of fresh military activity involving Iran. On Friday, Iranian military officials claimed they launched what they described as “warning missiles” toward two US Navy destroyers operating in the Gulf of Oman.
However, the United States military quickly dismissed the claim, denying that any such attack occurred.
Earlier in the week, Kuwait also reported intercepting 30 ballistic missiles, which authorities described as part of what they called Iranian aggression, further highlighting the ongoing security concerns in the region.
The conflicting claims have fueled fresh debate over the true state of Iran’s military capabilities and the effectiveness of efforts aimed at curbing its missile programme.
While Trump continues to argue that Iran’s military strength has been severely degraded, Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted that the country remains capable of defending itself and responding to perceived threats.
The latest developments underscore the fragile security situation in the Middle East, where military confrontations, missile launches, and diplomatic tensions continue to raise concerns about regional stability.
Source: NBC News, Iranian Military, US Military, AFP.
