Here's where you can watch this year's Oscar-nominated movies at home

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With a little more than a week before the 98thAcademy Awards, time's running out to catch up onthe Oscar moviesyou've missed.

So get busy watching thebest picture contenders, those films with all the top acting talent, and more nominated projects beforethe big night:Conan O'Brien hosts the Oscarson March 15, airing live on ABC and Hulu (7 p.m. ET/4 PT). The major players that night are available to watch at home via streaming services and on-demand platforms.

Here are 20 nominated movies to watch from your couch right now:

USA TODAY's Movie Meter:Rate the year's best picture nominees

'Blue Moon'

Ethan Hawke snagged a best actor Oscar nomination asfamed lyricist Lorenz Hartin this lively character study, which also scored an original screenplay nod. Richard Linklater reimagines the 1943 premiere afterparty of "Oklahoma!" where a newly sober Hart tries to keep some semblance of pride while holding court at the hotel bar, obsessing over college-age Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley) and toasting old partner Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) on his big night.

Where to watch:Netflix,Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'Bugonia'

Yorgos Lanthimos' gonzo comedy/psychological romp, which scored nods for best picture and adapted screenplay, offers up dark-web weirdness and sci-fi paranoia. Best actress nomineeEmma Stoneplays a pharmaceutical CEO who is kidnapped by a pair of conspiracy-theorist cousins (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) who believe she's an alien bent on world domination, leading to a battle of wills and a wildly chaotic climax.

Where to watch:Peacock,Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'Elio'

Pixar is back in the Oscar category it's owned over the years – best animated film – with this family-friendly sci-fi adventure that throws back to the 1980s days of "Explorers" and "The Last Starfighter." A young boy (voiced by Yonas Kibreab)yearns to be abducted by aliens, actually gets his wish andbecomes BFFs with a blobby alien. If you're catching up on nominated films with your youngsters, it's best for any kids who've never seen "E.T."

Where to watch:Disney+,Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'F1: The Movie'

Joseph Kosinski's Formula 1 movie came out of nowhere to score four Oscar nominations, including best picture. As an aging driver-for-hire on an underdog racing team,Brad Pittbrings plenty of personality – and vroom-vroom steeliness – to this four-wheeled crowd-pleaser. There's macho panache and white-knuckle action sequences aplenty as Pitt's eccentric Formula 1 veteran plays reluctant mentor to a hotshot rookie (Damson Idris).

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'Frankenstein'

Guillermo del Toro'sthoughtful and moving adaptationof Mary Shelley's legendary work made the best picture cut as part of its nine Oscar nominations. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) is the egotistical scientist playing God and creating life with a Creature (supporting actor contenderJacob Elordi) made from discarded human parts. Come for the gothic majesty, stay for Elordi's stunning and emotive performance as the Creature tries to be human in an inhuman world.

Where to watch:Netflix

'Hamnet'

Prepare to be an emotional wreck by the end of Chloé Zhao'sheartfelt look at William Shakespeare's family lifethat's up for eight Oscars, including best picture, director and adapted screenplay. Best actress favorite Jessie Buckley is absolutely sensational as Agnes, who's married to Will (Paul Mescal) and raises the kids while the Bard works in London. Tragedy leads to resentment and disconnection between the two, but ultimately also to the creation of "Hamlet" and different ways of dealing with grief.

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home,Peacock(March 6)

'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'

A frazzled and stressedRose Byrnedefinitely earns her best actress nomination in this dark comedy. She plays a therapist forced to navigate an increasingly bonkers and exhausting series of unfortunate events. After her apartment ceiling collapses in a water accident, she moves with her sick daughter (Delaney Quinn) to a nearby hotel, fosters a passive-aggressive relationship with her own therapist (Conan O'Brien) and is shocked when a new client (Danielle Macdonald) bolts in the middle of a session without her baby.

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home,HBO Max

'It Was Just an Accident'

Jafar Panahi's thriller, up for best international film and original screenplay, is an unforgettable juggling of serious moral questions and clever screwball comedy. Following an incident where a family hits a dog with its car, a mechanic (Vahid Mobasseri) believes the driver (Ebrahim Azizi) was his peg-legged torturer in an Iranian jail and kidnaps him, then brings in other former political prisoners who have to figure out if he's their tormentor and what to do with him in a breathtaking modern fable.

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home,Hulu

'KPop Demon Hunters'

Catchy music, anime style and some horror combine in this kid-friendly action comedy, the Oscar nominee that not only your kids have seen but also absolutely love. When the members of Korean pop trio Huntrix aren't busy being mega-stars, they protect their fans from supernatural dangers. But dark secrets and hormones become issues, thanks to their latest enemy: demons disguised as a hunky boy band. Theearworming hit "Golden"is a no-brainer in both original song and animated film – its chances of winning a couple Oscars are, yes, pretty golden.

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Where to watch:Netflix

'The Lost Bus'

Based on the deadly 2018 Camp Fire in California, the uber-intense thriller scored a spot in the best visual effects race.Matthew McConaugheystars as a bus driver already stressed out by a tough situation at home when a wildfire starts tearing through towns. He's called in to get a group of school kids to safety and, with the help of their teacher (America Ferrera), they drive througha hellacious gauntletof chaotic traffic, falling power lines and so, so many flames.

Where to watch:Apple TV

Oscars are here! See which actors, directors and films are nominated for the 98th Academy Awards, to be handed out live March 15 and broadcast on ABC and Hulu.

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Oscars 2026 – The top nominees in photos

Oscars are here! See which actors, directors and films are nominated for the 98th Academy Awards, to be handed out live March 15 and broadcast on ABC and Hulu.

'Marty Supreme'

"Uncut Gems" didn't snag a best picture nomination but director Josh Safdie's other masterful panic attack of a movie, a sports comedy set in the world of 1950s table tennis, did. Shoe salesman Marty Mauser (best actor nominee Timothée Chalamet)will do anything to be a ping-pong champion. He's also a selfish, conceited jerk, and his pursuit of glory sucks assorted players into his chaotic world, from Marty's childhood best friend (Odessa A'zion) to a famous actress (Gwyneth Paltrow).

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'One Battle After Another'

Up for 13 Oscars, including best picture, director Paul Thomas Anderson's action dramedy casts best actor contenderLeonardo DiCaprioas a scruffy former demolitions expert desperate to find his teen daughter (Chase Infiniti) with an old enemy (Sean Penn) in hot pursuit. A high-minded, resonant piece of world-building inspired by Thomas Pynchon's "Vineland," "One Battle" is full of assorted revolutionaries and villains, featuring a cast of standouts as well as themes and political satire that feel of the moment.

Where to watch:HBO Max,Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'The Perfect Neighbor'

Told almost completely through police bodycam footage, the favorite in the best documentary category centers on the increasingly hostile disputes between an older white woman and the parents of the mostly black children she berates, leading toa tragedy that shakes their neighborhood. It's a gripping, heartbreaking true story about how fear and prejudice can easily go too far.

Where to watch:Netflix

'The Secret Agent'

Kleber Mendonça Filho's 1970s-set political thriller snagged a slot in best picture and is a top contender in the international film category. But it soars because of Wagner Moura, who was nominated for best actor and is terrific as a Brazilian researcher hunted by mercenary killers. The former teacher aims to escape the country's ruthless dictatorship with his son by taking on a different name and falling in with fellow dissidents, but finds himself wondering who he can really trust.

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home,Hulu

'Sentimental Value'

Supporting actor contender Stellan Skarsgård gives a masterclass, Norwegian style, in Joachim Trier's touching best picture nominee. He stars as an aging filmmaker aiming to make a heartfelt movie tying into the family's traumatic history that'll be his comeback. However, because he prioritized art over loved ones, he's now estranged from his daughters: a determined stage actress (Renate Reinsve) and a one-time child star (supporting actress competitor Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) who's now trying hard to mend her clan's broken fences.

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

1968: "Oliver!" | Mark Lester plays the titular orphan in the film based on Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2008: "Slumdog Millionaire" | The movie set in India, with Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, won eight Oscars, none in acting categories.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2009: "The Hurt Locker" | Jeremy Renner received a best-actor nomination but did not win. The film, however, won six Oscars, and Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for directing.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2020: "Nomadland" | Frances McDormand stars as a nomad who lives out of her van after she loses her husband and her home when their Nevada mining town is wiped out in an economic collapse. The film won three Oscars, including best actress for McDormand and best director for Chloé Zhao, who made Oscar history as first woman of color to win the category.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2024: "Anora" | A Brooklyn sex worker (Mikey Madison) elopes with a Russian oligarch's son (Mark Eydelshteyn). The film won five Oscars, including best actress for Madison and best director (Sean Baker).

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Every Oscar best-picture winner, ever

'Sinners'

Is it a gangster film? Heck, yeah! Is it a vampire movie? You bet! Did it just obliterate the Oscar nominations record? That, too! Ryan Coogler pulls off something devilishly spectacular with thisgenre-bending, 1930s-set flick, which scored a monumental 16 nods including best picture, director and original screenplay. Best actor nominee Michael B. Jordan is fantastic playing double duty as twins who come home to Mississippi and have their party crashed by a band of charismatic bloodsuckers. Coogler also tackles racism and cultural appropriation in a wondrous fright fest – buoyed by supporting actor and actress nominees Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku – that's mesmerizing in its filmmaking and meaningful in its message.

Where to watch:HBO Max,Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'Song Sung Blue'

Kate Hudsondefinitely earnsher best actress Oscar nominationandHugh Jackmanis in total showman mode in this true-life sentimental drama. They play musicians who team up to become a popularNeil Diamondtribute act, and the icon's songs inspire the couple as they're forced to weather personal tragedies and professional ups and downs.

Where to watch:Peacock,Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'Train Dreams'

Set in the early 19th century, the absorbing and thoughtful period drama – and best picture nominee – starsJoel Edgertonas a quiet logger working on building the railroad in the Pacific Northwest whose job keeps him away for long periods from his wife (Felicity Jones) and child. Tragedies and a changing America test his mettle as he struggles to keep living his life and moving forward.

Where to watch:Netflix

'Weapons'

Supporting actress nominee Amy Madigan is one of many reasons to watch Zach Cregger's follow-up to his deliciously twisty "Barbarian." There are metaphors aplenty to interpret in a thriller about a town that goes bonkers when 17 kids go missing in the middle of the night and everybody points to their teacher (Julia Garner). The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, Madigan asthe creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.

Where to watch:HBO Max,Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home

'Zootopia 2'

The first "Zootopia" won the Academy Award for best animated movie in 2017, and the sequel has made the same cut at this year's soirée. Bunny cop Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and street fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) are unlikely friends and partners who saved the city of Zootopia and have to do it again, with a snake on the loose. The action and the comedy will keep the littlest Oscar fans entertained while moms and dads appreciate the fun Disney references and clever pop-culture riffs on "The Shining," "Back to the Future" and more.

Where to watch:Apple TV,Amazon,Fandango at Home,Disney+(March 11)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Oscar nominated movies you can stream at home right now

byJastin

in

3/06/2026 11:12:00 AM

Here's where you can watch this year's Oscar-nominated movies at home

Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to yo...

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Mother of “Deadliest Catch'”s Todd Meadows Requests Discovery Channel 'Not Air' Any Footage from His Death: 'Only Air Good Things'

Deadliest Catch star Todd Meadows died after he fell overboard while crabbing on Feb. 25

NEED TO KNOW

• It was reported that he died while the show was filming

• His mother, Angela, is requesting that no footage of his death make it to air

The mother of the lateDeadliest Catchstar Todd Meadows, Angela Meadows, is pleading with the Discovery Channel to not air footage of her son's tragic death.

Todd, 25, died on Feb. 25 while filmingDeadliest Catch,TMZpreviously reported. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that Todd fell overboard while crabbing approximately 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor, near Unalaska, Alaska,PEOPLEpreviously reported.

The crew recovered him "unresponsive" around 10 minutes later, and the "first aid and attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful," per the U.S. Coast Guard.

Todd's captain, Rick Shelford, announced his death on Monday, March 2,in a lengthy Facebooktribute.

On Wednesday, March 4, Angela said the family doesn't "want to see any footage from the accident,"TMZreported.

"[We] do not want Discovery to air any of that footage or make money off of our son's death," Angela told TMZ. "We hope they only air good things of Todd on that boat."

"No parent would want the world to watch their child die," Meadows said in a statement, perAlaska's News Source.

Angela requested footage from Todd's time on the boat so the family could "have the videos for memories," TMZ reported.

Deadliest Catchis a long-running reality series about the high-stakes world of crab fishing. The series first premiered in 2005 and season 21 concluded in October 2025.

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Angela says she wants "his memory to be a good memory everywhere." "It never mattered what anybody had to say about him, good or bad," she told TMZ. "He wasn't out there to make friends. He wasn't out there to click with people. He was just out there to work and to do what he loved."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Shortly after his death, Todd's family created aGoFundMepage to assist with the unexpected expenses and help his three sons, with whom he was a "determined dad."

"[The] three amazing little boys who were his entire world. Everything he did was for them — their smiles, their futures, and the memories they will carry with them," the page read. "This unimaginable loss has left his children without their father, his parents without their son, his siblings without their brother and his family broken."

Todd's sister, Mackenzie, said, "No words put together can even describe the pain we're going through and will continue to,"Us Weeklyreported. "His boys will see him through pictures, and we will see him through his boys."

His father, Lucas, remembered him as someone who "always had a smile," per Alaska's News Source. Lucas said that Todd started fishing with him when he was 3 years old, and that fishing was a "passion of his, his whole life."

"He had a smile on his face the whole time," Lucas said. "Good day, bad day, didn't matter... He loved to fish and loved to watch other people fish."

The Coast Guard previously confirmed in a statement shared with PEOPLE that officials are "currently investigating this situation."

"As the nation's leading marine safety organization, the Coast Guard investigates marine casualties and accidents to uncover their causes and initiate necessary corrective actions," the statement read.

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

in

3/06/2026 09:12:00 AM

Mother of “Deadliest Catch'”s Todd Meadows Requests Discovery Channel 'Not Air' Any Footage from His Death: 'Only Air Good Things'

Deadliest Catch star Todd Meadows died after he fell overboard while crabbing on Feb. 25 NEED TO KNOW It wa...

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Liam Neeson's son Daniel Neeson underwent surgery for heart condition

Liam Neeson's sonDaniel Neesonrevealed that he underwent surgery to treat a congenital heart defect he has lived with his whole life.

In aMarch 3 Instagram post, the "Naked Gun" actor's son said he was born with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) with only two leaflets instead of the normalthree, which can cause valve failure or enlargement of the aorta. Only about 1 to 2 percent of the human population has it, and it is twice as common in males, according to theCleveland Clinic.

Throughout his life, the 29-year-old has been seeing doctors twice a year for cardiology checkups to monitor his heart, but eventually experienced severe left ventricle dilation and aortic enlargement, he said. While he was hoping not to undergo surgery until later in his life, Daniel said he "drew the early-bird straw."

"Nothing is more empowering than understanding your health, staying on top of your game, and planning ahead. Health is about being proactive, not reactive," he wrote in the post's caption.

"There's something surreal about realizing that one of your biggest challenges was quietly developing inside you your entire life," he continued. "No dramatic warning. Just science, genetics, and timing."

Daniel Neeson encourages others to 'advocate for yourself'

While he prides himself on overcoming his own challenges and controlling his environment, Daniel said he had to accept that it wasn't possible with his treatment. He learned to place his faith in the surgeons, nurses and entire ICU team looking after him.

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"Trusting that even if I couldn't control the outcome, I could control my mindset and my deeper consciousness," he said. "Overcoming this wasn't about being fearless. It was about leaning into the healing energy and being as present as possible. I looked at this operation as a ceremony, not a procedure."

Daniel encouraged others with health conditions to always "advocate for yourself and listen to your body. Everyone should have their hearts checked by a cardiologist, even if they don't have any known defects."

"Most importantly, surrender to the present moment. Don't live in fear. The universe has your back when you learn to dance with it," he said.

He also thanked his fiancée, Natalie Ackerman, whom he proposed to in September 2025 after eight years together, according toPeople.

Daniel is one of the two sons that the "Taken" actor has. His older brother is 30-year-old Micheál Neeson, 30, whose acting credits include Liam Neeson movies "Cold Pursuit" and "Made in Italy."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Liam Neeson's son Daniel Neeson underwent surgery for heart condition

byJastin

in

3/06/2026 03:12:00 AM

Liam Neeson's son Daniel Neeson underwent surgery for heart condition

Liam Neeson's sonDaniel Neesonrevealed that he underwent surgery to treat a congenital heart defect he has lived wit...

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Beyoncé's father walks out of interview after reporter credits Tina Knowles for shaping Destiny's Child

Mathew Knowles walked out of a recent interview over a suggestion relating to his ex-wife, Tina Knowles, and their daughter Beyoncé's girl group, Destiny's Child.

Key Points

• PIX11 anchor Kendis Gibson suggested that shaping Destiny's Child "was a joint effort" between the parents, prompting Mathew to get up and leave.

• "What work did she put in?" Mathew asked of Tina, before announcing, "We'll stop now."

Mathew Knowles, the father ofBeyoncéand Solange Knowles, had a tense moment with a reporter regarding his ex-wife,Tina Knowles, and the group that launched his eldest to fame,Destiny's Child.

Tina and Mathew divorced in 2011, well after Beyoncé launched and successfully landed her bid for solo stardom beyond Destiny's Child. But the group, particularly his and Tina's roles in shaping their look, sound, and legacy, still seems to be a sensitive subject for Mathew.

Mathew gave an interview to New York City TV news outletPIX11on Jan. 30 in which he discussed the past and future of his daughters' careers. In arecently surfaced scenecut from the version uploaded to YouTube, anchor Kendis Gibson pointed out the Knowles patriarch "earned your flowers. I said the same thing to Ms. Tina Knowles. You guys put in the work, and obviously the talent was there."

Before the host of segment "Kandid With Kendis" could complete his question, Mathew asked, "What work did she put in?"

Gibson began to list, "the hair, the clothes," prompting Mathew to concede, "You're absolutely right. The styling, the imaging. You're right."

Tina additionally "claimed to have prayed on the name," Gibson pointed out. Indeed, Tina has said that she "put their picture in my NIV study bible and one day I opened it and it said 'destiny,' and I said, 'That's the name,'" adding that her "ex-husband added 'child' to it."

Gibson reasoned that getting Destiny's Child off the ground "was a joint effort," but Mathew had heard enough. He laughed, stood up, and announced, "We'll stop now." At first, Gibson appeared to think that Mathew was joking, but then clarified, "Did I say something wrong?" Mathew assured him that he did not, and walked out of the interview.

Entertainment Weeklydid not immediately hear back from representatives for PIX11 News, Mathew Knowles, Tina Knowles, or Beyoncé.

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Mathew claimed in a MondayPage Sixreportthat Gibson arrived late to their interview and asked multiple questions about his ex-wife, "when the interview was supposed to be about Destiny's Child's tribute concert." In February, he announced theDestiny's Child Reimagined Tributetour, a traveling show to feature orchestral covers of classic Destiny's Child songs.

But that's not all he had to say about his interview with Gibson.

"How it starts is how it ends. It started on a bad note, and obviously ended on a bad note for him," he continued. "I politely ended the interview, shook his hand, and took a photograph."

Mathew and Tina were married for 31 years before their 2011 divorce.

Rarely one to publicly comment on her personal life, Beyoncé has seldom if ever addressed the subject of her parents' divorce. But she did pay tribute to her mother's decision to leave in the 2014 song "Ring Off," which includes lyrics like, "Mama, I understand your many sleepless nights / When you sit and you think about Father. / Or how you tried to be the perfect wife," and "You found a new man now you shine and you're fine. / Like it's my time, you took that ring off."

Tina, meanwhile,told Gayle Kingin 2025 that she and Mathew "are on good terms because we did a good job." Though she admitted she "had some really tumultuous, terrible times with Mathew," Tina said she "never questioned whether he loved me or my kids."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byJastin

in

3/06/2026 01:12:00 AM

Beyoncé's father walks out of interview after reporter credits Tina Knowles for shaping Destiny's Child

Mathew Knowles walked out of a recent interview over a suggestion relating to his ex-wife, Tina Knowles, and their daugh...

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Status of Iran's nuclear facilities remain unclear as attacks continue

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed in an interview this week that Iranian negotiators told him in the lead-up to the U.S.-Israelimilitary operation in Iranthat they had enough enriched uranium to "make 11 nuclear bombs."

But since themajor combat operationswere launched on Saturday with the intent of crushing Iran's nuclear ambitions, the administration has yet to publicly produce any concrete evidence on the whereabouts of thenuclear materialor who is in control of it. The Israel Defense Forces claimed that at least 40 top military commanders were killed in the opening strikes of the conflict.

In an interview on Fox News, Witkoff told host Sean Hannity that as soon as he and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, sat down with the Iranian negotiators for denuclearization talks last month, their counterparts spoke of their stockpile of enriched uranium.

"Jared and I opened up with the Iranian negotiators telling us they had the inalienable right to enrich all the nuclear fuel they possessed," Witkoff said. "We, of course, responded that the president feels we have the inalienable right to stop you in your tracks."

Witkoff claimed the Iranian negotiators openly shared details about their supply of nuclear material.

"In that first meeting, both the Iranian negotiators said to us directly with, you know, no shame, that they controlled 460 kilograms of 60% [enriched uranium] and they're aware that that could make 11 nuclear bombs," Witkoff said.

Witkoff said the 60% enriched uranium can be brought to weapons-grade in about a week and that the 20% enriched uranium can be brought to weapons-grade in three to four weeks.

"They manufacture their own centrifuges to enrich this material," Witkoff said. "So, there's almost no stopping them. They have an endless supply of it."

The statement appears to contradict what the Pentagon said last summer about Iran's ability to develop weapons-grade uranium following U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.

In July 2025, Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson, said at a news conference that that the strikes onIran's nuclear facilitiesin June set back Iran's capability to develop a nuclear weapon by "closer to two years."

"It's not just ... enriched uranium or centrifuges or things like that. We destroyed the components that they would need to build a bomb," Parnell said at the time.

But on Tuesday, that assessment fell to the wayside as the administration defended the U.S. military operation by insisting Iran posed an imminent threat to Americans. A senior administration official told reporters in a briefing that among the factors in the operation was that Iran had the ability to rebuild those components destroyed in the bombing, including its own centrifuges.

The official said a lot of the enriched uranium remained mostly in Isfahan with some still at Natanz and Fordo.

"It can be a long and cumbersome process in extracting it and covering it up," the official said. "I think the first question is, where is it? The second question is, how do we get to it, and how do we get physical control? And then after that, it would be a decision of the president and department, the Department of War, CIA, as to whether we wanted to physically transport it or dilute it on premises."

Iran has stated numerous times that it doesn't want nuclear weapons, but believes it has the right to use nuclear power for civilian purpose. It had also been part of a nuclear deal with the U.S., which Trump withdrew from during his first term.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told ABC's "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday that the attack on his country was "unprovoked and unwarranted." He said Iran was negotiating with the United States in good faith prior to the attacks.

"A deal was at our reach, and we left Geneva happily with the understanding that we can reach a deal next time we meet," Araghchi said.

In their two public briefings on "Operation Epic Fury" in Iran, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not address what has become of Iran's nuclear material since the widespread military strikes began on Saturday.

In several speeches since the attacks commenced, Trump has also not been specific about the status of Iran's nuclear material.

Hegseth, Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio conducted a closed-door briefing with members of the U.S. Senate and House on the Iran operation on Tuesday afternoon.

Ina lettersent on Monday to the administration's briefers, five top House Democrats -- including Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee -- asked for information on nuclear security in Iran.

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"Who currently controls Iran's nuclear facilities and materials, and what safeguards are in place to prevent diversion or proliferation, or complete loss of control?" the Democratic lawmakers asked in their letter.

But following the briefing, Meeks said the briefers offered few answers.

"Here we are again without answers. Here we are again without complete transparency," Meeks said. "Here we are again trying to go around Congress."

Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said the briefers provided "no additional" information on the imminent threat that prompted the military operation, adding, "There's nothing that we got that you don't have."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., challenged any suggestion that the Trump administration was unclear during their briefing with House members about their objectives in Iran.

"This is really a very simple matter. It's about the building of ballistic missiles. That's what Iran was engaged in, and they were doing it at a speed and in a scale that was exceeding the ability of our regional allies to respond appropriately," Johnson said. "This created an imminent and serious threat. It also gave them cover to continue with their nuclear ambitions."

Johnson added, "As you know, we tried very hard to negotiate with them about that nuclear enrichment of uranium … and the buildup of their missiles was so important and so serious that the President of the United States, this president, thought that it was a great enough threat that we needed to act."

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, said in asocial media poston Tuesday that, based on the latest available satellite imagery, it "can now confirm some recent damage to entrance buildings of Iran's underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant [FEP]."

"No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at FEP itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict," the IAEA said in the post.

In June 2025, the U.S. and Israeli militaries launched "Operation Midnight Hammer," targeting three of Iran's nuclear facilities -- Natanz, Fordo and Isfahan -- with "bunker-buster" bombs, according to the White House.

At the time, Trump said the operation "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's key uranium enrichment sites.

In a speech on Monday at the White House, Trump said that after "Operation Midnight Hammer," Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear facilities in another location, "because they were unable to use the ones we so powerfully blew up."

Trump says 'if anything' he forced Israel's hand on Iran attack timing, says Iran was going to strike US first

"In addition, the regime's conventional ballistic missile program was growing rapidly and dramatically, and this posed a very clear, colossal threat to America and our forces stationed overseas," Trump said. "The purpose of this fast-growing missile program was to shield their nuclear weapon development and make it extraordinarily difficult for anyone to stop them from making these highly forbidden, by us, nuclear weapons."

Trump administration's mixed messaging on war with Iran: ANALYSIS

The Institute for Science and International Security said in astatementon Tuesday that its analysis of satellite imagery indicates the Natanz nuclear complex, Iran's main uranium enrichment site, was struck twice during Saturday's joint U.S.-Israeli attack.

Neither the Trump administration nor the Israeli government have confirmed the alleged strikes on the Natanz complex.

Meanwhile, Israel targeted a compound near Tehran linked to the regime's nuclear weapons "capabilities," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in statement Tuesday.

After the U.S. targeted Iran's nuclear facilities last year, Israel, which participated in the operation under the code-name "Rising Lion," continued to track scientists connected to the Iran's nuclear weapons program "and located their new location at this site in a manner that enabled a precise strike on the covert underground compound," the statement said.

"The strike removes a key component in the Iranian regime's capability to develop nuclear weapons and joins a series of strikes conducted during Operation 'Rising Lion' that were essential to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat," the IDF said.

-ABC News' Mary Kekatos and Jordana Miller contributed to this report.

byJastin

in

3/06/2026 12:42:00 AM

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