Trump Outlines Conditions for Ending Military Action Against Iran
On Monday, President Trump detailed what Iran needs to fulfill in order to halt Operation Epic Fury. He indicated that discussions had commenced between the United States and Iran, effectively pausing a planned strike on an Iranian power plant for five days.
Before boarding Air Force One for an event in Memphis, Trump spoke to the press. “We’re looking into everything we’ve discussed,” he said. “We aim for no nuclear bombs, no nuclear weapons, not even close to it, and we’d like to keep missile capabilities modest. Our goal is peace in the Middle East, and we wish for nuclear dust—not the harmful kind. I think we can achieve this.”
He elaborated, “Yes, we agreed to limit uranium use. We don’t want enrichment, but we still want some enriched uranium.” He mentioned that if progress is made, it could be a positive turning point for Iran to revitalize itself. “That’s something we want, along with Israel and other nations in the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, especially Kuwait and Bahrain. It benefits all involved,” Trump stated.
Following a stalemate over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Trump had launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28 through a post on Truth Social. His special envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, later reported that an Iranian diplomat claimed the regime would persist in enriching uranium and asserted it already possessed sufficient material for numerous “dirty” bombs.
During a meeting, Trump emphasized the necessity for the U.S. to manage the relevant materials. “It’s straightforward,” he remarked. “If we reach an agreement, we can step back and sort things out ourselves.”
Army Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a March 13 press briefing, did not rule out deploying ground troops to secure Iran’s nuclear assets. “From the start, our primary objective has been to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. We’ve accomplished that, and we maintain all options open to keep it that way,” he stated.
Later in the conference, Hegseth added, “I won’t disclose our plans or scope to this group or to the public, but we certainly have options available.”
