A new report from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) raises concerns about Iran’s opaque chemical weapons program, which argues policymakers have paid little attention to compared to Iran’s more scrutinized nuclear weapons program. 

The FDD report outlines how the Iranian regime may have resorted to the unconventional use of chemical weapons while it faced an unprecedented uprising beginning in Dec. 2025, a wave of unrest Tehran has not seen since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Any use of chemical weapons by Iran would be in defiance of their obligations under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention.

‘The United States, its allies and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) should investigate credible claims that Iran’s regime used chemical weapons against its own people,’ Andrea Stricker, deputy director of FDD’s Nonproliferation Program and author of the report, told Fox News Digital.

Iran’s illicit chemical weapons program is under renewed scrutiny as the Trump administration appears closer to taking military action against Iran and its nuclear weapons program.

While the U.S. has been engaged in indirect talks with Iranian officials mediated by Oman in Geneva, the U.S. has increased its military presence in the Persian Gulf, sending the USS Gerald R. Ford to join dozens of other warships to the region.

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X that ‘Iran will resume talks with the U.S. in Geneva with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal—in the shortest possible time.’

The foreign minister claimed that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons under any circumstances but emphasized that Iran will not forgo its right to harness peaceful nuclear technology.

‘A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority,’ he added.

Despite the optimism and push for continued talks, there remain fears that Iran will not make any meaningful concessions on their nuclear program, that could lead to U.S. military strikes on the nation.

A broader regime change campaign to topple the Islamic Republic’s government led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is also not off the table, according to some reports.

‘If Washington launches strikes against Iran, it should give serious consideration to targeting the regime’s chemical weapons research and production facilities. Such action would help halt further development and potential use of these weapons while sending a clear message that the regime cannot commit atrocities with impunity,’ Stricker said.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which Iran is party to, upholds the norms against state-held chemical weapons, specifically, banning states’ development, stockpiling, production, and use of chemical weapons, even for retaliatory reasons, as well as their receipt from or transfer to anyone.

Israel’s deputy ambassador to the Netherlands, Yaron Wax, said in July 2025 before a special meeting of the OPCW that ‘over the past two decades Iran has been developing a chemical weapons program based on weaponized pharmaceutical agents.’

These agents, Wax said, impact the central nervous system and can be fatal even in small doses. 

The ambassador said at the Shahid Meisami Research Complex, destroyed by Israel in June 2025, Iran’s Shahid Meisami Group (SMG) was working on fentanyl opioid-derived tactical munitions for military use. Israel believes the pharmaceutical-based agents were transferred to Syria’s longtime and now deposed dictator, Bashar al-Assad and Iraqi Shia militias as well.

Iran began developing its chemical weapons program in 1983 during its war with Iraq in response to chemical attacks from the regime of Saddam Hussein, according to the U.S. Intelligence Community.

As recently as 2024, the U.S. has repeatedly found Iran in noncompliance with its obligations under the CWC.

In a post on X in Nov. 2024, the Iranian mission to the United Nations pushed back on the charges against it.’ ‘A victim of Western-donated chemical weapons employed by the Saddam regime, Iran stands as a responsible member of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Over the past several decades, not a single instance of Iranian violation has been recorded. The current unfounded reports are merely an outgrowth of psychological warfare propagated by the Zionist regime in the wake of its recent defeat on the Lebanese front.’

Stricker says the U.S. and international community have failed to hold Iran accountable for its illegal chemical weapons program, and meaningful action must be taken to prevent Iran from transporting banned substances to Iran’s nefarious proxy actors in the Middle East.

The report notes that the U.S. and OPCW should launch a pressure campaign against Iran, calling out the regime and publicizing any violations. The Trump administration, the report recommends, should demand a formal ultimatum to demonstrate compliance with the convention and accept monitoring and verification mechanisms.

FDD also suggests Israel should ratify the CWC and work within the OPCW, which would give Israel more credibility in combating Iranian violations.

The report says as a last resort, the U.S. should consider launching strikes targeting regime chemical weapons facilities, or support Israeli efforts, if actionable intelligence indicates movement on Iran’s chemical weapons efforts or a renewed push by the regime to use such illegal weapons to crack down on anti-government protests.

‘The only solution to Iran’s persistent WMD threat is for the United States and Israel to undermine the regime’s grip on power. Until then, the two nations will periodically be forced to play whack-a-mole with Tehran’s capabilities whenever they endanger regional peace,’ Stricker said.

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The bruising Texas Republican Senate primary has made its way to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, where one GOP rebel will enter a lion’s den of lawmakers rooting against him.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is set to attend Trump’s address Tuesday night as a guest of Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas. Inside the room, he will be face-to-face with one of his opponents, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Senate Republican leadership, who have sided with the longtime incumbent in the bloody, three-way primary battle.

Paxton told Fox News Digital in an interview from Nehls’ office that Tuesday was about Trump touting his accomplishments, not his battle for the GOP nomination in Texas.

‘If I see these guys, I’m going to be friendly. I’ve no axe to grind with [Senate Majority Leader] John Thune or any of the other leadership — they’re doing their jobs,’ Paxton said. ‘My axe to grind is with the guy that I’m running against, and his representation of the last 24 years has fallen way short. And Texans deserve better. And that’s the campaign, that’s not the State of the Union.’

Early voting has already begun in the Lone Star State, where Paxton is hoping to unseat Cornyn, who is vying for his fifth term in the upper chamber. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, is also in the mix but won’t be attending Trump’s State of the Union address.

While Paxton was adamant that the address wasn’t about his campaign, the tense race was hard to avoid. He and Cornyn are both vying for Trump’s endorsement.

When asked why he invited Paxton, Nehls told Fox News Digital, ‘Because he’s going to be the next senator out of the great state of Texas.’

‘John Cornyn, he’s gotta go,’ Nehls said. ‘John, you know you’ve been up here for 24 years. If you can’t get your agenda done in 24, you’re not going to get it done in 30, right?’

Matt Mackowiak, a senior campaign advisor for Cornyn, told Fox News Digital in a statement that the lawmaker was ‘delighted that the president of the Border Patrol Union will be his guest tonight.’

‘While Senator Cornyn has voted with President Trump 99.3% of the time, Ken Paxton was lying to taxpayers, lying to his staff and lying to his wife, all the while increasing his net worth by millions of dollars while in public office,’ Mackowiak said. ‘He would devastate the GOP down-ballot if he’s the nominee.’

Meanwhile, both Nehls and Paxton were eager to hear Trump rattle through his accomplishments in what’s expected to be a marathon address.

Trump’s actions on immigration since starting his second term were top of mind for both Paxton and Nehls, who noted that during his time as a sheriff, he saw firsthand the effects of crime that would seep through the southern border.

‘Donald Trump put a stop to it right away,’ Nehls said. ‘We have the most secure border we’ve ever had, and that’s because of Donald Trump’s leadership.’

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U.S. and French officials signaled Tuesday they are working to steady relations after a diplomatic flare-up that led France to restrict U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner’s access to senior government officials.

The U.S. Embassy in France told Fox News Digital that the two sides remain in contact following the dispute, which was triggered by U.S. government social media posts about the killing of a French activist earlier this month.

‘Ambassador Kushner and Foreign Minister Barrot, who have met regularly during the Ambassador’s tenure, spoke today in a frank and amicable call, reaffirming their shared commitment to working together, along with all other Ministers and French officials, on the many issues that impact the United States and France, particularly as the two countries celebrate 250 years of rich diplomatic relations,’ the statement said.

The outreach suggests both governments are seeking to contain the fallout from a clash that briefly raised questions about diplomatic protocol and political sensitivities between two of NATO’s closest allies.

France had moved to limit Kushner’s access to top officials after he did not attend a summons at the French Foreign Ministry over remarks posted by official U.S. government accounts following the death of 23-year-old activist Quentin Deranque, who was killed during clashes between far-left and far-right groups in Lyon earlier this month.

The Associated Press reported that Deranque, described as a far-right activist and a fervent nationalist, was beaten during the confrontation and later died of brain injuries sustained in the attack.

In a Feb. 19 post on X, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism wrote that reports — corroborated by France’s interior minister — that Deranque was killed by left-wing militants ‘should concern us all,’ adding: ‘Violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.’ The U.S. Embassy in France later shared the statement on its official account.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot characterized the remarks as an unwelcome intrusion into France’s domestic political debate and said Kushner’s failure to appear at the Quai d’Orsay ‘will naturally affect his ability to carry out his mission in our country.’ He described the no-show as a ‘surprise,’ saying ambassadors are expected to respect ‘the most basic practices of diplomacy’ when summoned.

‘We have no lessons to learn in matters of maintaining order or public order in matters of violence, and we have no lessons to learn at all from the reactionary international, simply,’ Barrot said in an interview with public broadcaster France Info.

While Tuesday’s call between Kushner and Barrot indicates both sides are attempting to prevent the disagreement from escalating, the episode unfolded against a broader backdrop of periodic tension in transatlantic relations.

France has at times pushed for greater European ‘strategic autonomy’ in defense and foreign policy — an approach that can diverge from Washington’s priorities, particularly as President Donald Trump has pressed NATO allies to increase defense spending and align more closely with U.S. strategic objectives. Trade has also been a recurring friction point in recent years, with tariff disputes between the United States and the European Union periodically affecting French exports.

Despite those differences, France remains one of Washington’s closest security partners in Europe, cooperating extensively on counterterrorism, intelligence sharing and NATO operations. Diplomatic access to senior officials plays a central role in coordinating those efforts, making even symbolic restrictions notable.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe will brief top congressional leaders on rising tensions in Iran on Tuesday ahead of President Donald Trump’s annual State of the Union address. 

Ratcliffe and Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security advisor, will brief the so-called Gang of Eight congressional leadership as well as top lawmakers on the Intelligence committees from the White House Tuesday at 3 p.m. 

The closed-door session comes as the administration weighs next steps in the escalating standoff with the Islamic Republic. Talks with Iran, where the U.S. is pushing for full denuclearization and a limit on its ballistic missile program, are scheduled to resume on Thursday. White House envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff led talks last week with Iran that did not result in a tangible deal. 

The White House has made clear that diplomacy is Trump’s first priority, but the Middle East has seen the largest U.S. military buildup in decades. One carrier strike group under the USS Abraham Lincoln is already in the region and another with the USS Gerald R. Ford is heading that way.

Meanwhile, Iran is digging in. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X Tuesday, ‘Our fundamental convictions are crystal clear: Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon; neither will we Iranians ever forgo our right to harness the dividends of peaceful nuclear technology for our people.’

In a message directed at the American side, he added, ‘A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.’

The U.S. has insisted Iran cannot have any nuclear enrichment capacity, even for energy purposes.

Araghchi said last week that the two sides had come to a ‘general agreement on a number of guiding principles’ and agreed to begin drafting text for a possible agreement, with plans to exchange drafts and schedule a third round of talks. 

Meanwhile, reports have swirled that Trump is considering a ‘limited’ strike on Iran aimed at pressuring its leaders into acquiescing to a deal.

Rubio’s classified briefing comes at a pivotal moment, just hours before Trump steps to the podium for his State of the Union address. The timing suggests the administration wants congressional leaders fully briefed on Iran’s nuclear posture, U.S. intelligence assessments and potential next steps before the president publicly lays out his strategy to the nation.

By meeting with the Gang of Eight ahead of the speech, the White House is also locking in oversight consultation before Trump speaks. That gives top lawmakers the same classified context the president is working from and makes it harder for critics to argue they were blindsided if Trump signals tougher action, new diplomatic parameters or a shift in posture toward Tehran during his address.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe will brief top congressional leaders on rising tensions in Iran on Tuesday ahead of President Donald Trump’s annual State of the Union address. 

Ratcliffe and Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security advisor, will brief the so-called ‘Gang of Eight,’ congressional leadership as well as top lawmakers on the Intelligence committees, from the White House Tuesday at 3 p.m. 

The closed-door session comes as the administration weighs next steps in the escalating standoff with the Islamic Republic. Talks with Iran, where the U.S. is pushing for full denuclearization and a limit on its ballistic missile program, are scheduled to resume on Thursday. White House envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff led talks last week with Iran that did not result in a tangible deal. 

The White House has made clear that diplomacy is Trump’s first priority, but the Middle East has seen the largest U.S. military buildup in decades: one carrier strike group under the USS Abraham Lincoln is already in the region and another under the USS Gerald R. Ford is heading that way.

Meanwhile, Iran is digging in. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X Tuesday: ‘Our fundamental convictions are crystal clear: Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon; neither will we Iranians ever forgo our right to harness the dividends of peaceful nuclear technology for our people.’

In a message directed at the American side, he added: ‘A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.’

The U.S. has insisted Iran cannot have any nuclear enrichment capacity, even for energy purposes.

Araghchi said last week that the two sides had come to a ‘general agreement on a number of guiding principles’ and agreed to begin drafting text for a possible agreement, with plans to exchange drafts and schedule a third round of talks. 

Meanwhile, reports have swirled that Trump is considering a ‘limited’ strike on Iran aimed at pressuring its leaders into acquiescing to a deal.

Rubio’s classified briefing comes at a pivotal moment — just hours before Trump steps to the podium for his State of the Union address. The timing suggests the administration wants congressional leaders fully briefed on Iran’s nuclear posture, U.S. intelligence assessments and potential next steps before the president publicly lays out his strategy to the nation.

By meeting with the ‘Gang of Eight’ ahead of the speech, the White House is also locking in oversight consultation before Trump speaks. That gives top lawmakers the same classified context the president is working from — and makes it harder for critics to argue they were blindsided if Trump signals tougher action, new diplomatic parameters or a shift in posture toward Tehran during his address.

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Erika Kirk, widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, will be President Donald Trump’s guest at Tuesday night’s State of the Union.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Kirk’s attendance as ‘one of President Trump’s special guests’ in a post on X that included the Daily Wire article first reporting the announcement.

During his speech, the president will reportedly affirm that America is ‘one nation under God’ and will call on Congress to ‘firmly reject political violence against our fellow citizens,’ the Daily Wire reported on Tuesday. The Daily Wire said the call comes after years of political violence, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Trump is no stranger to this wave of political violence, as he was shot during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., in July 2024.

Trump administration officials rallied around Erika Kirk after her husband’s assassination in September during a debate event at Utah Valley University. Charlie Kirk’s casket was flown from Utah to his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two and Vice President JD Vance escorted the casket as it was carried onto the plane. Later, second lady Usha Vance was seen holding Erika’s hand as they departed Air Force Two.

Several members of the Trump administration, including the president and vice president, took part in a memorial service for Charlie Kirk in Arizona on Sept. 21, 2025, just 11 days after the outspoken conservative icon was killed. During his address at the memorial service, Trump called Charlie Kirk a ‘martyr for American freedom.’

A little more than a month after his assassination, Charlie Kirk was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom on what would have been his 32nd birthday. Erika Kirk accepted the medal from Trump on behalf of her late husband. She said that in awarding Charlie with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the president had given her late husband ‘the best birthday gift he could ever have.’

‘Charlie always admired your commitment to freedom, and that’s something that both of you shared. So thank you,’ Erika Kirk said to Trump during the event. ‘Your support of our family and the work that Charlie devoted his life to will be something I cherish forever.’

Erika Kirk also thanked the vice president and second lady, saying that their friendship had been an ‘unbelievable encouragement.’

Charlie Kirk was 31 when he was killed and left behind his wife and two young children — a son and a daughter.

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