In part, Senator Cotton said:

“This is not just about their nuclear program, they have thousands of ballistic missiles that threaten our bases in the Middle East, in Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean, some of them can even range our bases in Europe, and they want to build missiles, as the president and Marco have said, to reach the United States. They have a space launch program, Sean. When was the last time you heard of Iran putting an astronaut into space? The reason they have that space launch program is it's the exact same technology that would be used to build intercontinental missiles to hit us here in the United States. We cannot allow Iran to continue to build this massive missile arsenal to threaten our people, our homeland, our troops, and our friends.”

Senator Cotton’s full interview may be found here and below.

Sean Hannity: All right, here with reaction, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton is with us. Senator, I want to ask you this: when Iranian state television says they will continue to enrich uranium and they continue to build up their ballistic missiles, they continue their saber rattling against the US and they've never agreed to anywhere, any place, any time American inspectors anyway. I have zero confidence that their word is worth anything.

Senator Cotton: Well, you shouldn't, Sean, I don't either. I don't know who was calling significant progress from that meeting this morning. It sounds like it may have been the Iranians. Remember, they believe for 47 years that they can't win a war, but they can win any negotiation. I think with Donald Trump, they're likely to lose both. As you said they're refusing to stop enriching uranium, that was a central demand of the president going back 10 years and as Marco Rubio very critically pointed out, this is not just about their nuclear program, they have thousands of ballistic missiles that threaten our bases in the Middle East, in Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean, some of them can even range our bases in Europe, and they want to build missiles, as the president and Marco have said, to reach the United States. They have a space launch program, Sean. When was the last time you heard of Iran putting an astronaut into space? The reason they have that space launch program is it's the exact same technology that would be used to build intercontinental missiles to hit us here in the United States. We cannot allow Iran to continue to build this massive missile arsenal to threaten our people, our homeland, our troops, and our friends.

Sean Hannity: Well, it's always been a non-starter in terms of enriching uranium and them wanting uranium, and they keep holding the line as they've been saying there publicly tonight. I've got to believe deep down inside they must know what they are up against. It won't only be the US, it'll be Israel. Israel has been very very effective in attacking their missile sites, their air defense systems. So, I guess every military

operation has danger associated with it, you know, by its very definition, and I have to wonder if this is a point where they're just planning to go scorched earth and dumping everything they have. And there's been reports it could be chemical war warfare. Who knows? Thoughts?

Senator Cotton: Well, Sean, that's certainly what they want the world to believe and what they're threatening. And again, those thousands of missiles pose a real danger, and I know that Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth and General Caine are explaining the risk to the president as they should. But of course, Israel and the United States and our friends have a massive, massive military armada in the region, and Sean, it's a lot easier to shoot the archer before he gets off his arrow than trying to knock the arrow out of the sky.

Sean Hannity: That's really well said. You know, but here's another thought: what will they have in terms of military ability 6 months from now, a year from now, they're only going to continue. They have proven that over and over again.

Senator Cotton: Yes. So, Sean the balance of power does not get better. And it's month after month, it does not get better. 

Sean Hannity: Well said, it’s going to get worse and worse. They are committed, you know, to destruction. Number one state sponsor of terror.  We appreciate you being with us, Senator.