The United States is beginning to lose hope of reaching an agreement with Iran
Washington - Ma'an - High-level American officials reported on Friday that President Trump's administration is losing optimism about the possibility of signing a nuclear agreement with Iran through diplomatic negotiations, in a rare admission that one of Donald Trump's most prominent goals, which is curbing Tehran's nuclear program peacefully, may prove to be an impossible mission.
According to a report published by the Wall Street Journal, Washington is now setting strict conditions for the resumption of talks.
“They violate the agreement every day, they lie, they cheat, they kill people,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “They won't make a nuclear weapon under our deal, but I'm not sure we'll get a deal.”
Washington also made clear that an agreement could not be reached unless Iran handed over control of its stockpile of enriched uranium buried within its territory to the United States. According to the Wall Street Journal, Americans have military options to permanently block access to nuclear materials, but there are concerns about being able to conclusively confirm how much uranium was destroyed in the attack.
This growing pessimism comes days after violent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil and gas production passed, prompting Trump to order a massive wave of air strikes. In addition, the US Treasury Department announced on Friday new sanctions on Iranian businessman Ali Ansari, along with the reimposition of sanctions on oil sales.
Officials made it clear that Iran should issue an immediate statement declaring the full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and a ceasefire on commercial ships.
One official even hinted that Tehran would face dire consequences if the promise was not made by Saturday, while other officials declined to set a firm deadline. These statements raise questions about whether Trump is preparing for a sharp strategic shift, after announcing the end of the ceasefire. Among the options before him: resuming the war to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, signing a partial agreement, or withdrawing from the conflict.