Trump reaffirms his stance on Iran’s nuclear program amid ongoing inquiries and concerns.
United States President Donald Trump has reiterated his unwavering commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, an assertion he has maintained in the wake of a recent 12-day conflict involving Iran and Israel, during which the U.S. militarily intervened. Trump’s statements come amidst ongoing debates regarding the efficacy of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
In an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo, Trump emphasized his belief that Iran was mere weeks away from achieving nuclear capability before Israel’s attack on June 13. Subsequently, the U.S. targeted three of Iran’s major nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Contrary to Trump’s assertions, both U.S. intelligence and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have indicated that Iran was not in the process of developing a nuclear arsenal. Iran has steadfastly maintained that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes.
Despite Trump’s claims that the airstrikes effectively obliterated these facilities, several prominent news organizations have reported, based on intelligence assessments, that the damage inflicted was not as extensive as purported. The IAEA, in a statement made on Monday, highlighted uncertainties regarding the extent of damage at the Fordow facility, which contains a significant portion of Iran’s highly enriched uranium—a critical component for nuclear weapon development.
In a discussion about the potential for Iran to resume uranium enrichment, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi warned that such initiatives could restart within months. Trump, however, maintained that the strikes had significantly delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions, suggesting they had been set back by “decades.”
Recent reports indicated that Iran had possibly undertaken measures to remove enriched uranium from Fordow prior to the strikes. Trump dismissed these claims as unfounded, asserting that the conditions under which the U.S. conducted its strikes caught Iran off guard and that the defenses of the Fordow site were not as impenetrable as many had suggested.
Alongside discussions regarding military strategy, Trump also addressed U.S. trade relations, stating that negotiations with Canada would pause until the country reconsiders its newly implemented digital services tax affecting foreign tech companies. He also acknowledged a complicated trade relationship with China, suggesting that, despite an ongoing trade deficit, the U.S. and China were currently maintaining a cordial rapport.
As developments unfold regarding both military and economic strategies, the international community continues to scrutinize the ramifications of U.S. actions in the Middle East.
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