A Defense Intelligence Agency assessment indicates Iran could potentially develop an intercontinental missile by 2035—but only if it actively pursues such a capability, suggesting no immediate threat exists.
BY PC Bureau
Februaury 28, 2026: In his first public remarks following Saturday’s US military strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump warned that Tehran is building missiles capable of reaching the American homeland “soon,” framing the threat as justification for the military action. He reiterated the claim in a video posted on social media and earlier during his State of the Union address.
However, according to multiple US intelligence sources cited by CNN, there is no current intelligence indicating that Iran is actively pursuing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program designed to strike the continental United States. Officials familiar with recent intelligence assessments said there has been no change in evaluations of Iran’s long-range missile ambitions.
An unclassified 2025 assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency concluded that Iran could develop a “militarily viable” ICBM by 2035—but only if Tehran chose to actively pursue such a capability. Intelligence officials told CNN there is no evidence that such a program is underway at present.
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Iran does possess an extensive arsenal of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles capable of targeting US bases, troops, and allies across the Middle East, a threat long acknowledged by US military planners. But the claim that Iran could soon strike the US mainland is not supported by current intelligence findings, according to the sources.
The White House defended Trump’s warning. Spokesperson Anna Kelly said the president was right to highlight the danger posed by Iran, pointing to Tehran’s hostile rhetoric and potential future capabilities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also declined to provide a timeline when pressed on the claim, but said Iran was “certainly” moving along a pathway that could eventually allow it to develop long-range missiles capable of reaching the US. He described Iran’s ballistic missile program as a major concern, particularly because Tehran has refused to include it in recent diplomatic negotiations with Washington, which have focused primarily on nuclear issues.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, however, rejected the accusation in a recent interview, stating that Iran had deliberately capped its missile range at 2,000 kilometers and that its missile program was purely defensive.
The question of Iran’s missile capability did not arise during a classified briefing with senior US intelligence officials and congressional leaders this week, according to people familiar with the meeting.
Separately, US officials acknowledged that Iran is attempting to rebuild parts of its nuclear infrastructure damaged in earlier military strikes. Intelligence indicates Tehran is installing new centrifuges, restoring surviving equipment, and reconstructing damaged facilities. But experts and officials told CNN that rebuilding a functional nuclear weapons capability would likely take far longer than the “one week” timeline suggested by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The conflicting public statements underscore a widening gap between political messaging and intelligence assessments, even as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate following the latest round of military strikes.
