Former National Security Council chief of staff Fred Fleitz said Friday that European leaders are confronting what he described as a growing Iranian missile threat.
He warned that recent developments have underscored longstanding concerns about Tehran’s military capabilities and intentions.
Speaking on Newsmax TV’s “The Record” with Greta Van Susteren, Fleitz said leaders in Western Europe were “stunned” to learn the extent of Iran’s missile program and its potential reach into the continent.
“In the short term and also in the medium term, I think West European leaders were stunned that Iran has been building missiles to attack their countries,” Fleitz said.
“And they now know they don’t have missile defenses against them.”
Fleitz argued the situation reinforces President Donald Trump’s warnings about Iran’s military ambitions, particularly regarding missile development and nuclear capabilities.
He accused Tehran of consistently misleading the international community.
“The Iranians lie about everything,” Fleitz said. “They haven’t just lied about their missile ranges.
"They’ve always been lying about their pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
Fleitz said that Iranian officials have publicly claimed limits on their missile program that do not reflect actual capabilities.
He pointed to statements from Iran’s supreme leader asserting a 2,000-kilometer cap on long-range missiles, while suggesting the true range may be significantly greater.
“They said there was a 2,000 kilometer cap, but they could actually go 4,000 kilometers,” Fleitz said.
“And there are other rockets that may have a range of 6,000 kilometers, easily putting London within range.”
Fleitz said the emerging threat raises urgent questions for European governments about their security posture and alignment with the United States.
“The question is, Will Europe step up and do what they really need to do and stand with the United States to deal with this threat from Iran?” he said.
While he noted “some signs” that European leaders may be shifting closer to Washington’s position, Fleitz added that Trump remains dissatisfied with the pace and scope of that response.
“I’ll tell you, President Trump is still very frustrated,” Fleitz said.
The United States can only determine with certainty that it has destroyed about a third of Iran's vast missile arsenal as the U.S. and Israeli war on the country nears its one-month mark, according to five people familiar with the U.S. intelligence.
U.S. strikes have hit more than 10,000 Iranian military targets as of Wednesday and, according to Central Command, have sunk 92% of the Iranian navy's large vessels.
The U.S. military has published imagery showing attacks on the factories that produce Iran's weaponry and has stressed that it is not just pursuing missile and drone stockpiles, but the industry that makes them.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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