The Day of the State of the Union Warnings

Editorial priorities on February 25 were defined by Donald Trump’s State of the Union address and the subsequent escalation of U.S.-Iran rhetoric. Morning coverage focused on Trump’s claim that 32,000 Iranians were killed in the past month and his vow to block a nuclear-armed Iran, which state-aligned media dismissed as deceptive. Simultaneously, reformist outlets highlighted domestic social fragmentation, reporting record absenteeism in schools and the introduction of a "pro" tiered internet system. By afternoon, attention shifted to the fifth consecutive day of university protests. The Science Minister categorized the unrest as "chaos" and warned that continued demonstrations would trigger judicial intervention, while diaspora outlets reported on a civilian killed by military-grade fire. The day concluded with the announcement of new U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s "shadow fleet" and missile networks, as Foreign Minister Araghchi arrived in Geneva, declaring Tehran’s readiness for both war and peace.