U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned he “won’t ever permit” Iran to have nuclear weapons. File
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
The U.S. has mounted its largest navy build-up in West Asia for the reason that 2003 Iraq invasion. It has deployed two plane service strike teams, dozens of fighter jets and warships, refuelling plane and superior missile defence programs. President Donald Trump has mentioned he would use power if Iran fails to succeed in a deal. But he has additionally despatched blended indicators concerning the objective of the deployment and what precisely Washington needs from Tehran.
Does the U.S. search regime change in Iran, because it as soon as did in Iraq and Afghanistan? Is the present escalation pushed by Iran’s crackdown on home protests, its nuclear programme or its missile improvement? Mr. Trump has but to articulate a coherent narrative explaining the targets of his Iran coverage.
Protests in Iran
On January 2, 2026, instantly after assembly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, Mr. Trump mentioned the U.S. was “locked and loaded” to reply if Iran killed protesters. On January 13, after Iran cracked down on protests, Mr. Trump requested Iranians to “take over establishments” and mentioned that “assistance is on the best way”. However Mr. Trump didn’t order a strike on Iran. He later claimed that Iran had paused deliberate executions of protesters. He then despatched extra offensive and defensive weapons to the area.
On January 29, Mr. Trump shifted focus away from protests and urged Tehran to come back and negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme. This marked a notable flip. In early January, whereas threatening navy motion in opposition to Iran, he had made no reference to the nuclear concern. In June 2025, after attacking Iran’s nuclear services throughout the 12-day battle between Iran and Israel, Mr. Trump had claimed that he had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme.
Nuclear diplomacy
Amid tensions and threats, the U.S. and Iran resumed nuclear diplomacy on February 6 in Muscat, Oman. Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s particular envoy for West Asia, met Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian International Minister. There have been obvious disputes concerning the framework of the talks. Iran mentioned it was prepared to debate the nuclear programme and open to a “honest and equitable deal”. However Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, mentioned on February 4, earlier than the primary spherical of talks, that discussions ought to cowl Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes, its assist for militia teams within the area and its therapy of its inhabitants. Regardless of the disagreements, talks went forward.
On February 22, after two rounds of talks, Mr. Witkoff mentioned in an interview that Mr. Trump had given him and Jared Kushner, the President’s son-in-law who can be a part of the negotiating workforce, a transparent route on what they wished to attain. “Zero zero enrichment, now we have to get the fabric again.” He was referring to Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities and the stockpile of extremely enriched uranium. Mr. Witkoff didn’t say something about Iran’s missile programme or its assist for militias when he talked about Mr. Trump’s pink traces. He additionally mentioned that the President was curious to know why Iran “has not capitulated” regardless of America’s troop build-up close to its shores.
Iranian officers have repeatedly mentioned that they weren’t planning to make a nuclear bomb, however refused to surrender their enrichment capabilities or enriched uranium. Iran’s missile programme and its assist for militias, they are saying, are non-negotiable.
Deal or battle?
On February 24, on the eve of Mr. Trump’s State of the Union Handle, Mr. Araghchi confirmed a 3rd spherical of talks with the U.S. on February 26. “Our elementary convictions are crystal clear: Iran will on no account ever develop a nuclear weapon,” he wrote in a social media put up. “Neither will Iranians forgo our proper to harness the dividends of peaceable nuclear know-how for our folks,” he mentioned.
In his State of the Union Handle, Mr. Trump didn’t converse a lot on Iran.
He repeated his declare that the U.S. assault had “obliterated Iran’s nuclear programme”. The Iranians are beginning their nuclear programme “throughout”, he added. “They need to make a deal however we haven’t heard these secret phrases: ‘We’ll by no means have a nuclear weapon’.” He slammed Iran’s missile programme, its assist for militias and its crackdown on protesters, however he didn’t demand any concession about these points as a part of a deal. He didn’t even point out Iran’s enrichment capabilities.
Mr. Trump talked solely a few nuclear weapon. He mentioned he “won’t ever permit” Iran to have nuclear weapons. And the Iranians have repeatedly mentioned that they weren’t planning to have a nuclear bomb. “If the primary concern within the negotiations is Iran not growing nuclear weapons, this aligns with #Leader_Fatwa and #Iran_Defensive_Doctrine, and a right away settlement is inside attain,” Ali Shamkhani, chief of Iran’s newly created Defence Council and a heavyweight within the system, wrote in a social media put up on Thursday, referring to Supreme Chief Khamenei’s fatwa in opposition to nuclear weapons. “Araghchi has enough assist and authority for this deal,” he added.
Revealed – February 26, 2026 07:48 pm IST