“Iran started the current war many years ago, denying that the US initiated the conflict.” — Donald Trump. Our verdict: False.
Donald Trump made the claim in remarks reported by Al Jazeera on 31 October 2026, in coverage of Iranian lawmakers calling for withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Our verdict
False
The claim is false. The current war began on 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched missile attacks on Iran, not the other way round.
What we found
We found no evidence that Iran started the current war. A Congressional Research Service report states that U.S. and Israeli forces began striking Iran on 28 February 2026, initiating the conflict. The Congressional Record from 4 March 2026 contains statements that U.S. military airstrikes on Iran began the conflict and that the U.S. government initiated the war. An academic history of US-Iranian relations from Ohio State University's Middle East Studies Center also says the current war began on 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched missile attacks on Iran. Donald Trump did make the claim, as reported by Al Jazeera, but the factual content is wrong. His reference to Iran starting the war 'many years ago' appears to conflate the 2026 conflict with older hostilities, such as the 1979 embassy seizure, which are not part of this specific war.
The evidence
3 of 5 sources contradict the claim; none support it.
- Background
Al Jazeera reports that Donald Trump said Iran started the war many years ago and denied that the US initiated the conflict. [1]
- Contradicts the claim
A Congressional Research Service report states that U.S. and Israeli forces began striking Iran on 28 February 2026, initiating the conflict. [2]
- Contradicts the claim
The Congressional Record contains statements asserting that U.S. military airstrikes on Iran began the conflict and that the U.S. government initiated the war. [3]
- Contradicts the claim
An academic history of US-Iranian relations says the current war began on 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched missile attacks on Iran. [4]
- Background
An archived White House transcript records Trump's remarks about Iran and U.S. actions in January 2020. [5]
What we could not confirm
- The primary transcript of the remarks did not contain the specific quote, so the attribution rests on a single news report.
How we checked
We looked at U.S. government records, including a Congressional Research Service report and the Congressional Record, plus an academic history of US-Iranian relations and news coverage of the remarks. We reviewed 5 relevant sources.
Sources
- [1]Al Jazeera · Iran lawmakers call for withdrawal from NPT: Will we have war or peace? · October 31, 2026
- [2]congress.gov · U.S. Conflict with Iran · September 18, 2026
- [3]Congress.gov · Congressional Record · March 4, 2026
- [4]OSU MESC · A History of US-Iranian Relations
- [5]The White House (archived) · Remarks by President Trump on Iran · January 8, 2020
- [6]Photo: Daniel Torok / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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