Just one day after emphatically declaring there would be no talks with Iran, President Donald Trump surprised Wednesday by signaling a possible shift in Washington’s approach toward Tehran. Speaking today (Wednesday), Trump suggested negotiations could eventually resume, while stressing that preventing the Iranian regime from obtaining nuclear weapons remains his central condition. “Right now, things are going so well, maybe we’ll resume talks at some point,” Trump said. “But they have to understand first that they cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump then explained why he remains adamant about preventing a nuclear-armed Iran. “You know why? Because they’ll use it,” he said. The president also addressed Iranian energy exports, saying: “It’s not going to be perfect, but a lot of oil is coming out of there, a tremendous amount. People are amazed.”
Trump’s comments come just one day after he declared that there would be no talks with Iran. According to various reports, he had also instructed senior U.S. administration officials to halt contacts and shift toward a strategy of “slow strangulation” against the regime in Tehran. The apparent contrast between that economic and diplomatic pressure campaign and Trump’s latest suggestion that negotiations could eventually resume marks a notable shift in tone. Yet Trump’s central message remains unchanged: Iran cannot be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons, amid concerns that the regime would not hesitate to use them against its enemies.