Iran missile stockpile estimated at 21% by Trump, who says Tehran still retains missile and drone capacity amid ongoing regional tensions
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran retains roughly 21 to 22 per cent of its missile stockpile, even as tensions escalate in the Middle East following renewed cross-border strikes and disputed military claims.
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Speaking in an interview with NBC News, Trump said Iran still possesses “capacity” despite ongoing military pressure in the region, suggesting its arsenal has been significantly reduced but not eliminated.
“They still have capacity. They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say, percentage wise, maybe 21, 22 percent of their missiles,” he said.
The Iran Missile Stockpile estimate marks an adjustment from figures previously cited by Trump, who in May suggested the remaining capacity stood at around 18 per cent. He has repeatedly asserted that US actions have severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities.
The comments come amid heightened regional instability, with reports of missile and drone activity across the Gulf area despite a fragile ceasefire arrangement.
Iranian military officials said on Friday that they had fired “warning missiles” toward two United States destroyers operating in the Gulf of Oman, a claim swiftly rejected by the US military.
Earlier in the week, Kuwait reported intercepting 30 ballistic missiles allegedly launched as part of what it described as a “heinous Iranian aggression,” further fuelling tensions across the region.
While Washington and Tehran continue to exchange conflicting accounts of recent incidents, the broader security situation remains volatile, with multiple regional actors on heightened alert.
Analysts note that such claims and counterclaims reflect the difficulty in independently verifying battlefield capacities and the scale of remaining arsenals in an increasingly fragmented conflict environment.
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The latest remarks add to ongoing geopolitical uncertainty as diplomatic efforts to stabilise the region continue alongside intermittent military escalations.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
