Lindsey Graham says days of ‘Obama-Biden weak leadership are over’ after Iran misjudges Trump

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen Lindsey Graham has praised the Trump administration’s actions targeting Iran’s military and political establishment over its nuclear enrichment program.

Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump and one of the most vocal supporters of military action against Iran in the US Congress.

He has also reportedly met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advocate for strikes targeting Iran. His remarks come amid escalating military developments in the Middle East and strong warnings from Iranian officials.

Lindsey Graham defends Trump’s actions on Iran

Graham described the Trump administration’s handling of Iran as a decisive moment in dealing with the Iranian regime. Speaking about the negotiations, he said, “The single best thing President Trump did, and the most important thing since 1979 regarding the Iranian regime, was to send Steve and Jared to try to get a deal.”

According to him, the negotiations showed that Iran rejected the opportunity for a peaceful arrangement. “If they really wanted peaceful nuclear power, Donald Trump would have delivered. He would have done it for free,” Graham said. He added that during the talks Iran revealed significant details about its uranium stockpile.

“What did we learn during these negotiations? They said no. And the biggest stupid move in the history of the Iranian regime was to tell Steve and Jared, oh, by the way, we have 460 kilograms of 60 percent uranium that could make 10 bombs,” he stated.

He also criticized comparisons with previous US administrations, saying, “The days of Obama and Biden’s weak leadership are over.”

Speaking on Sean Hannity’s show on Tuesday, March 10, Graham also warned about Iran’s potential nuclear capability, “If Donald Trump did not do this they would have a nuclear capability within weeks. If they had a weapon they would use it."

He also addressed US allies, urging them to support the effort against Iran, “To our allies if you can't join this fight, what fight are you going to join? Spain, you won't let us use our airbases in your country to stop the regime from getting nuclear weapons that harm the world. I am encouraging President Donald Trump to move all of our bases out of Spain."

Iran responds as conflict intensifies in Middle East

Iranian officials signaled retaliation as military activity intensified across the region. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, said the country would respond with “an eye for an eye.”

In a message posted on X, he wrote, “No act of aggression will go unanswered. Today we declare the rule of ‘an eye for an eye’ without hesitation and without exception. If they begin a war against infrastructure, we will certainly target infrastructure.”

In the last few hours, Iran launched a new wave of strikes against Israeli and US targets in the Middle East. Iranian state media described the barrage as the “most intense and heaviest” since the start of the conflict.

Israel said it had identified missiles launched from Iran, though later added that it was safe for citizens to leave shelters. Saudi Arabia also reported intercepting and destroying two drones heading toward an oil field. Sirens sounded in Bahrain, which hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Amid the escalating conflict, the US State Department said more than 40,000 Americans have returned to the United States from the Middle East since February 28. The department also said it has assisted over 27,000 Americans abroad.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the timeline for the war, initially estimated at four to six weeks by US officials, would "end when the commander in chief determines the military objectives have been met, fully realized, and that Iran is in a position of complete and unconditional surrender, whether they say it or not."