Congressman Begich Issues Statement on U.S. Military Action Against Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions and Offensive Capabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Feb. 28, 2026 - Today, Congressman Nick Begich released the following statement in response to the United States military action in Iran:

"The United States cannot afford complacency against a regime hell-bent on our destruction. This decisive military action taken against key elements of Iran's nuclear programs and broader offensive capabilities is a necessary and targeted response.

Iran's longstanding nuclear program, pursued in secret and in defiance of international agreements for decades, remains one of the most serious threats to American national security. Despite prolonged rounds of negotiations, the regime has repeatedly demonstrated bad faith, employing stalling tactics, concealment of facilities, and outright deception to protect and advance its illicit uranium enrichment and weaponization efforts. These actions have made it clear that continued diplomatic engagement alone is insufficient to halt Iran's progress toward a nuclear breakout capability.

Yet the danger Iran poses is much broader. The regime actively fuels an emergent anti-American alliance by providing military support, including funding, weapons, training, and intelligence, to terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas, and various Shia militias across Iraq and Syria. Iran has deepened military and economic ties with America's adversaries, forging a network of authoritarian powers that openly target the United States and our allies.

Through these proxies and direct actions, Iran pursues aggressive regional destabilization: launching ballistic missiles, conducting attacks on shipping lanes, sponsoring terrorism, and undermining regional governments. At its core, the regime is driven by a fanatical ideological objective to export its revolutionary theocracy.

Inside Iran, the regime has shown the same brutality toward its own people. It has carried out large-scale murder of tens of thousands of citizens, systematically oppressed women by denying them fundamental rights and freedoms, and crushed dissent through mass arrests, torture, and executions.

As we continue to support our courageous men and women in uniform, who stand ready every day to defend our nation, we must be clear-eyed, about the full scope of this threat. Half-measures and endless discussions have only emboldened Tehran. The Iranian leadership responsible for these crimes against humanity, support for terrorism, pursuit of nuclear weapons, and relentless calls of "death to America" must be eliminated through a comprehensive campaign of maximum pressure. This includes unrelenting economic sanctions, cyber and covert disruption of their nuclear and missile programs, and decisive military posture to deter aggression.

The path forward cannot be centered on further appeasement but the removal of this corrupt, fanatical leadership that has brought suffering to the Iranian people and threatens our peace at home. In so doing, we can provide the people of Iran the opportunity to change leadership, reclaim their sovereignty, and chart a new course.

I look forward to the forthcoming classified briefing to Congress on these actions, which will provide Members with critical details on the operation, its objectives, and next steps to ensure our national security interests are fully protected.

I am fully committed to ensuring our troops have the resources, training, and support required to prevail, and to advancing policies that protect American lives, support stability, and confront threats to our homeland wherever they may emerge."