Senate Intel Chair Cotton: 'We have to be prepared for Iran to retaliate' [View all]

Source: ABC News

June 22, 2025, 11:23 AM


The chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday that the United States must "be prepared for Iran to retaliate" following Saturday night's strikes targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities.

"We have troops in the region. Iran has targeted Americans around the world, Marine barracks in Beirut, in barracks in Saudi Arabia. They've targeted embassies of countries around the world," Cotton, R-Arkansas, said in an exclusive interview on ABC News' "This Week." "The threats are serious and we take them seriously. President Trump has no higher priority, as do I and the safety of the American people."

Cotton echoed President Donald Trump's warning to Iran to opt for peace instead, saying that if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "targets Americans with military force, he will see, will make last night look like child's play."

Trump described Saturday night's strikes against Iran as "a spectacular military success" that had "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities. In his interview with "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl, Cotton said the full damage assessment was still underway, citing comments from Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine earlier Sunday.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-intel-chair-cotton-prepared-iran-retaliate/story?id=123081307