Trump says Iran has ‘virtually given up’ nuclear weapons

President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran has "virtually given up any plans of a nuclear weapon." He spoke to reporters on the South Lawn as he left the White House for a rally in Ohio. Stopping Iran from getting a bomb has been one of his administration's most often stated goals in the war with Tehran, which is now in its eighth month.aa+1

The president gave no evidence for his assessment. Iran is still blocking most international inspections, and an Iranian lawmaker said Saturday that cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog will not resume until Tehran's security demands are met.1news

"The easy way or the hard way"

Trump said he still has to make a decision about Iran but gave no details. "Iran has been decimated, so the only question is, it'll either be the easy way or the hard way," he said, according to Middle East Eye. He also tied the conflict to energy prices. "Oil is coming down," he said, adding that the Biden administration "did nothing about the fact that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon".middleeasteye+1

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose title the administration styles as "Secretary of War," struck a similar tone. He said Iran could "give it up the way that they should" or "it may have to happen the hard way," Fox News reported. Iran International reported that Tehran is reviewing a new U.S. proposal, delivered through Qatar, that sets out a timetable for final negotiations. Iranian officials continue to insist that Washington first provide sanctions relief and release frozen funds.iranintl+1

Iran has long denied that it seeks nuclear weapons. Last month at the U.N. General Assembly, President Masoud Pezeshkian cited a religious prohibition and offered to dilute Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles under international verification.aa

Inspections remain frozen

Vahid Ahmadi sits on the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. He said Tehran has fully suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including inspections. Cooperation will resume, he said, only after the agency "officially announces that the necessary conditions for ensuring the security of Iranian nuclear facilities and nuclear scientists have been provided".1news

Since the U.S. and Israel began their air campaign in February, IAEA inspectors have been able to visit only the Bushehr nuclear power plant, CNN has reported. As a result, the agency cannot confirm the size, makeup or location of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile. In September, the IAEA's board voted to report Iran to the U.N. Security Council. Russia, China and Niger voted against the move.isis-online+1

China and Russia back Tehran

At the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday, China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Sun Lei, said Iran "should honor its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons." He added that "its legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy should be respected." He blamed the impasse on Washington's 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and on the "snapback" of sanctions that Britain, France and Germany triggered last year.bignewsnetwork

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow's offer to take Iran's enriched uranium is still open. He said the U.S. at first agreed to the idea but later refused.bignewsnetwork