Trump says Iran has ‘sort of’ agreed to nuclear deal, despite warning of ‘violent course’

During ongoing discussions, President Donald Trump announced that the United States is close to reaching a nuclear deal with Iran. He mentioned that Iran has partly agreed to the proposed terms but described their acceptance as having conditions. At the same time, Trump warned that if the talks do not result in a final agreement, the situation could take a “violent turn.”

This sharp contrast seems to hint at the negotiations being more unstable than they seem. The President’s remarks came after several meetings between U.S. and Iranian negotiators. While Trump seemed somewhat positive about the progress, reports from Iranian officials suggest there are still major disagreements (although he could have been in the area to pick up his jet bribe).

Reuters‘ sources say that although Iran is ready to make some compromises, key disputes remain, making it difficult to reach a full agreement. CNN quotes Trump saying, “Iran has sort of agreed to the terms: They’re not going to make, I call it, in a friendly way, nuclear dust. We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran.”

Iran nuclear deal seems to hinge on threats

One of the biggest disagreements is over how much uranium Iran is allowed to enrich. Iran insists on its right to enrich uranium, which it sees as part of its rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, but it has expressed willingness to lower the enrichment level. The United States, however, has not clearly stated its position. Some U.S. officials have suggested allowing low-level enrichment, while others have called any enrichment program a “red line.”

Another major issue is the removal of sanctions. Iran wants all economic sanctions imposed since 2018 to be completely and verifiably lifted, seeing this as essential for any deal. Reports suggest the U.S. is not willing to fully remove major sanctions, creating a serious deadlock. The disposal of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpiles is also a challenge.

While Iran has reportedly agreed to reduce its stockpiles, there are still disagreements over how quickly and how this should happen, as well as where the material should go. These ongoing talks have already had an impact on global oil markets. The possibility of a deal, which could lead to fewer sanctions and more Iranian oil production, has caused oil prices to drop. The price of Brent crude, a global benchmark, fell by more than 3%, and West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, saw a similar decline.

Iranian officials have responded strongly to Trump’s statements, showing both defiance and doubt. Some have rejected Trump’s optimistic view, pointing out the unresolved issues and stressing that Iran will not give up its core interests. Others have criticized Trump’s threatening language, seeing it as an effort to force Iran into accepting bad terms.