The talks in Rome between the Trump administration and Iran regarding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear weapons program have raised questions about whether Iran will adhere to a new deal. Retired Gen. Jack Keane criticized Iran’s strategy as a “bold-faced lie” that led to the disastrous 2015 agreement and questioned whether the Trump administration will accept it. President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal because he believed it failed to prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb. The State Department stated that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon or enrichment program, and negotiations will focus on achieving the president’s objectives peacefully.
Enrichment of uranium is crucial for Iran to advance its nuclear weapon program, a process that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted was non-negotiable. Mark Wallace of United Against Nuclear Iran criticized the Obama administration for allowing Iran to enrich uranium up to 3.67%, paving the way for the failed JCPOA that has allowed Iran to exploit the international community. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran has stockpiled uranium that could be used for atomic bombs and has made no progress on resolving outstanding issues. Trump has threatened military strikes against Iran if it fails to agree to a new nuclear pact.
The Trump administration has outlined a two-month framework to reach a deal with Iran, focusing on dismantling Iran’s nuclear weapons program with measures such as removing all enriched uranium from the country and destroying centrifuges. John Hannah highlighted Trump’s “military threat” as a key factor that led Iran to the negotiating table, putting pressure on Supreme Leader Khamenei. While Iran expressed readiness to accept some limits on uranium enrichment, it refused to compromise its red lines, including dismantling centrifuges, halting enrichment, reducing stored enriched uranium, or negotiating its missile program.
A senior Iranian official emphasized that Iran’s red lines, mandated by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could not be compromised in the talks, ruling out dismantling centrifuges or reducing enriched uranium stored. Top U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff insisted that Iran must stop and eliminate nuclear enrichment to reach a deal with Washington. The talks aim to find a peaceful solution to preventing Iran from building nuclear weapons, but Iran’s refusal to compromise on key issues presents challenges to reaching an agreement. The Trump administration’s demand for dismantling Iran’s nuclear program and Iran’s insistence on maintaining its red lines highlight the difficult negotiations ahead.
