Iran Nuclear Talks: Donald Trump’s announcement comes a day after he declared a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States and Iran “may sign an agreement” regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme when the two sides meet for talks next week, but was quick to add that it’s “not necessary”. President Trump’s announcement comes a day after he declared a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
“The way I look at it, they fought the war. It’s done. I could get a statement that they’re not going to go nuclear. We’re probably going to ask for that. But they’re not going to be doing it,” President Trump said, adding that “We’re going to talk to Iran next week, we may even sign an agreement, (though) to me, I don’t think it’s necessary.”
Little over 48 hours ago, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said that by joining Israel in its military offensive against Iran, the United States had “betrayed” diplomacy, suggesting that no further dialogue is possible with Washington.
WHAT THE US INTELLIGENE ASSESSMENT SUGGESTS
President Trump reiterated on Wednesday that the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were necessary and have dealt a crushing blow to Tehran’s ambitions to have enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon. His remarks came despite a US intelligence assessment stating that the precision strikes have only inflicted a marginal setback.
US’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the President’s claim of a “crushing blow” by saying that the leaked intelligence assessment claiming Iran only suffered a delay of a few months due to US’ strikes was just “prelimnary” in nature and is of “low confidence”
Meanwhile, the United States and Israel are on a hunt for more than 400 kg of enriched uranium in Iran, which is enough to make at least 10 nuclear bombs. The ‘missing’ stockpile of uranium is reportedly 60 per cent enriched, and at 90 per cent, it can be used in nuclear weapons.
Satellite photos and sources indicate that Iran most likely moved the uranium, and possibly some equipment to continue enrichment, to a secret location days before American B-2 ‘Spirit’ bombers dropped ‘bunker busters’ on Fordrow, Natanz, and Isfahan, causing significant damage and destruction.
While red flags have been raised about the unknown location of the uranium, US Vice President JD Vance and other senior members of the Trump administration have privately admitted that they do not know, at this time, where the ‘missing’ uranium could be.
TEHRAN’S PLAN TO RESTART URANIUM ENRICHMENT
After the precision strikes on its nuclear facilities by the United States, Iran said it had taken “necessary measures” to ensure that the programme continues. “We have taken necessary measures and are taking stock of the damage caused by the strikes,” Mohd Eslami, chief of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said in a televised address.
“Plans for restarting (the facilities) have been prepared in advance,” he said, underlining Tehran’s determined effort to continue enriching uranium despite US threats, “Our strategy is to ensure production is not disrupted,” he said.
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