President Trump seems to have lost faith that Iran will agree to fully cease uranium enrichment in a renegotiated nuclear agreement with the United States. He remains committed, however, to preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, as he mentioned in an interview with Miranda Devine for her new podcast, “Podforce One,” which aired on Wednesday.
When Devine asked if he believed Iran could be convinced to shut down its nuclear program, Trump, 78, replied, “I don’t know. I thought so, and I’m more and more confident about it.” He expressed a lack of confidence about Iran’s intentions compared to a few months back, noting, “They look like they’re late, and I think that’s a shame.” It appears there’s been a shift, but clarity on a potential deal remains elusive.
In response to Devine’s question about what might happen next, Trump stated, “If they didn’t make a deal, they wouldn’t have nuclear weapons… But it would be better to do it without war, without people dying.” He expressed a desire for a peaceful resolution, though he suspects Iran’s enthusiasm for a deal isn’t as strong as needed.
Steve Witkov, Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, has been engaged in indirect talks with Iran for months. Initially, he considered allowing Iran to enrich uranium, a stance reminiscent of former President Obama’s 2015 agreement, though Trump had previously withdrawn from that arrangement.
Despite diplomatic discussions, both the State Department and the White House maintain that Iran should not have the ability to enrich uranium at all.
When Devine probed whether China might be influencing Iran’s negotiations, Trump was skeptical. “Maybe they don’t want to make a deal. What can I say?” he remarked, implying that the situation remains unpredictable.
The opposition group, National Iran Resistance Conference (NCRI), recently claimed that Tehran has invested at least $2 trillion into its nuclear program over the last three decades. This expenditure has reportedly surpassed Iran’s total oil revenue since 1979, estimated at around $1.5 trillion, according to the NCRI.
Much of these funds have been directed toward what the NCRI refers to as the “Kabir Project,” intensifying concerns over Iran’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities, as noted in their intelligence briefing on June 10.
In recent months, the NCRI has identified four locations in northern central Iran’s Semnan province, linked to the Cavill project, which the regime has labeled a military zone.
