U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with CNBC that the Iranian regime has agreed to nearly all of the United States’ demands. He made the remarks in response to a question about the nature of the recent conflict with Iran and whether it would become an “endless war.”
Defending his Iran policy, Trump emphasized that the United States’ objective in the conflict was to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons capability rather than engage in a prolonged war. He also claimed that the Iranian regime had agreed not to develop nuclear weapons, an issue that had already been included in the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). During his first term, however, Trump described the JCPOA as the worst deal in history and unilaterally withdrew the United States from it.
The U.S. president also repeated his previous claim that Tehran had agreed to transfer its stockpile of enriched uranium to the United States. Officials from the Iranian regime have denied this claim, and it remains one of the main points of disagreement in the ongoing negotiations.
According to Trump, indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, are continuing, although reaching a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program remains highly challenging. He also said that the talks would resume after the funeral ceremony of Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader of the Iranian regime.
Elsewhere in the interview, Trump again claimed that the United States had achieved a military victory over Iran, although he said Iran still retains part of its missile capabilities. He added that the United States would be able to destroy those capabilities if necessary. He also referred to U.S. retaliatory actions in response to attacks attributed to Iran against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Defending his decision to enter the conflict with Iran, the U.S. president said it was not actually a war but rather an effort to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons capability. He described the four months of fighting as a relatively short period and reiterated that the Iranian regime must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, the recent memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington has drawn criticism in Israel, and reports have emerged of growing disagreements between the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He went on to describe the naval blockade against Iran as a “steel wall,” claiming that it had been completely effective throughout the war and that not a single ship had managed to enter Iran. This claim comes despite reports from intelligence and maritime organizations indicating that Iran’s shadow fleet has continued operating and that there have been breaches of the blockade.
Trump also repeated his claim that, under the agreement ending the war, Iran has committed to purchasing essential agricultural products, including wheat, corn, and soybeans, from the United States. Referring to the Iranian regime’s economic situation, he said, “They need food, and American farmers will provide it.”
According to Trump, under the memorandum of understanding signed with Tehran, the United States has eased some of the restrictions imposed on Iran’s ports and oil exports. However, he said the resulting revenue must be used to purchase food rather than rebuild Iran’s military capabilities.
These remarks come despite previous statements by Iranian regime officials, including Abdolnaser Hemmati, governor of the regime’s Central Bank, who have insisted that there is no commitment or obligation to purchase agricultural products from the United States.
