As debate continues over a reported U.S.-Iran agreement, President Donald Trump pushed back against critics who say his proposal would simply revive elements of the Obama-era nuclear deal. On his social platform, Trump insisted that his negotiated deal is “the exact opposite” of former President Barack Obama’s agreement, which he characterized as “a direct path to Iran developing a Nuclear Weapon.”
Trump said U.S.-Iran relations are becoming “much more professional and productive” and stressed there is “no rush” to finalize a pact. He wrote that negotiations were “proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner,” and that he told his negotiators not to hurry because “time is on our side.” Trump added that economic pressure on Iran would remain in place until any agreement is finalized, certified and signed, warning that both sides must “take their time and get it right.”
The president also posted that “an Agreement has been largely negotiated,” though he said it remained subject to finalization by the parties involved. Secretary of State Marco Rubio likewise emphasized the deal’s nonproliferation aim, saying the “ultimate goal is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.” Iran, for its part, has not publicly signed on to or formally commented on the U.S. proposal.
Critics — including some Republican senators and former GOP officials — have cautioned that a new deal could repeat shortcomings of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The JCPOA limited Iran’s civilian nuclear enrichment program in exchange for relief from nuclear-related sanctions and was endorsed by Iran, the five permanent U.N. Security Council members, Germany and the European Union. Supporters said it was designed to keep Iran’s program peaceful; opponents argued it contained flaws that could allow Iran to pursue a bomb later.
In 2018, during his first term, Trump withdrew the United States from the JCPOA, saying the agreement’s structure could not prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The current negotiations reflect efforts by the Trump administration to negotiate a deal it portrays as tougher and more durable, while opponents remain skeptical about whether any new arrangement would sufficiently constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray