Trump Says Iran Won’t Build Nuclear Weapons. Tehran Tells A Different Story
Trump Says Iran Won’t Build Nuclear Weapons. Tehran Tells A Different Story Published By, Last Updated: June 15, 2026, 20:49 IST As the confusion remains
Trump Says Iran Won’t Build Nuclear Weapons. Tehran Tells A Different Story Published By, Last Updated: June 15, 2026, 20:49 IST As the confusion remains on the text of the deal, former US envoy to Israel says until the text of the deal is signed and released, there will be a 'lot of spin on both sides'. Satellite image taken on January 30 showing a new roof over a previously destroyed building at Natanz nuclear site. (Image: Reuters) As the world anxiously waits for details of a peace deal aiming to end the three-month war in West Asia, US President Donald Trump has said that Iran promised to suspend enriching uranium, though it remains unclear for how long. While announcing the agreement, President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran has promised not to develop a nuclear weapon. According to The New York Times, Iran has in principle agreed to suspend enriching uranium for some years, but the two sides have yet to agree on how long that will be. Check for Live Updates In a previous interview to the publication on Sunday, Trump said he wants Iran to stop enriching for 20 years but also hinted that he may settle for a 15-year suspension.
However, Iran has reportedly wanted no more than a decade. The President further said that Iran would be limited to enriching at low levels that “could never be used by the military". The NYT reported that Iran has agreed to give up half of its 440 kg of uranium enriched to 60% — near weapons grade — while diluting the other half to levels that would make it only applicable for non-military uses. However, it remains unclear what will happen to the rest of the stockpile of enriched uranium and its sophisticated centrifuges. Iran’s foreign ministry has warned that “entering 60-day negotiations is conditional upon US fulfilling these commitments," which it listed as “ending war, lifting blockade, and releasing assets." What Experts Say As the confusion remains on the text of the deal, Daniel B. Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel, said in a post on On any agreement on nuclear issues, he said: “As for the nuclear issues, there really is no agreement, other than to negotiate over the HEU stockpile and an enrichment moratorium. Iran knows how to drag out those negotiations, and try to pocket concessions along the way." “It is possible that no deal will ever be reached, and very likely that if one is reached, it will be worse than what we could have achieved through diplomacy before the war," he said.
The former envoy said Iran will not “take seriously" Trump’s threat to return to war if the deal is not signed, especially ahead of the US midterm elections. “So that means we will be conducting diplomacy without a credible threat of force." Pointing out Lebanon’s inclusion in the deal, Shapiro said: “Trump’s claim to include Lebanon in the ceasefire and his harsh shutting down Israeli attacks on Hezbollah is also a win for Iran." “Let’s hope we see the removal of Iran’s enriched uranium and a long-term suspension of enrichment, with full verification. But to achieve those goals, Trump’s team is going to need to engage in far more sophisticated diplomacy, backed by qualified experts, than they have to date," he added. Echoing a similar opinion, Robert Malley, who negotiated with Iran on the 2015 deal, also criticised the war, calling it “worse than a crime: a blunder. Worse than a blunder: a reckless, costly debacle". In a post on X, he said: “As for the issues that will have to be addressed after the MOU — the fate of Iran’s nuclear programme; the disposition of its enriched uranium; the scope of sanctions relief — they almost certainly will be left for later, and will almost certainly be harder to resolve than prior to the war." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: June 15, 2026, 20:49 IST News world Trump Says Iran Won’t Build Nuclear Weapons.
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