President Donald Trump stated in a newly aired interview that the goal of his administration’s current negotiations with Iran is the “total dismantlement” of its nuclear infrastructure. However, he added that he would be open to permitting Iran to maintain a civilian nuclear energy program.
The interview, which took place on Friday and was broadcast Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, spanned numerous topics, including Trump’s early priorities during his second term in office.
NBC host Kristen Welker asked the president directly if he would only accept “total dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program” as part of the negotiations.
“Total dismantlement. Yes, that is all I would accept,” Trump answered.
He acknowledged growing speculation that Iran might be permitted to keep nuclear facilities for generating electricity. “Now there is a new theory out there that Iran would be allowed to have civilian [nuclear facilities], meaning to make electricity,” he said.
Trump went on to question the necessity of such a program, noting, “I mean, they have so much oil that I am not sure why they would need it.” Still, he pointed out that many oil-producing countries also operate nuclear energy systems.
“I think that I would be open to hearing it, you know?” Trump remarked when asked whether he would consider allowing Iran to develop nuclear energy for civilian use.
He continued, “Civilian energy, it’s called. But you know, civilian energy often leads to military wars. And we don’t want to have them to have a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple deal.”
“The only thing they can’t have is a nuclear weapon,” he emphasized. “Because the world will be destroyed.”
Trump’s remarks come after a wave of clarifications from members of his administration regarding the U.S. stance in the nuclear discussions. Steve Witkoff, the administration’s special envoy to the talks, previously said the U.S. was aiming for a deal that would limit Iran’s nuclear activities rather than dismantle them completely. He later clarified that any agreement must “stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.”
Echoing those concerns, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a Fox News interview last Thursday that Iran must “walk away” from uranium enrichment. He added, “The only countries in the world that enrich uranium are the ones that have nuclear weapons.”
Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 60 percent has drawn global scrutiny, as it exceeds the 3.67 percent threshold agreed upon in the 2015 nuclear accord. That level is only a small step from the 90 percent purity required for weapons-grade material, keeping international watchdogs on edge.
Western nations have long accused Tehran of secretly pursuing nuclear arms, though Iranian officials continue to claim that their nuclear program is designed solely for peaceful, civilian purposes.
In recent months, Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment to 60 percent — a level widely regarded as having no peaceful utility — while also denying international inspectors meaningful access to its nuclear sites.
Talks between the United States and Iran have been ongoing since April 12, marking the most significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries since the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 agreement in 2018 during Donald Trump’s first term.
Israel has reportedly expressed alarm that the Biden administration is close to finalizing what it sees as a “bad deal” with Iran. Israeli officials are said to believe that the negotiations have progressed “very, very advanced,” and that Washington has failed to adequately share details with Jerusalem on critical elements of the discussions.
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{Matzav.com}