Donald Trump has indicated that American forces will remain stationed in Iran even if a ceasefire agreement is reached, with the stated goal of eliminating the nation's highly enriched uranium stockpiles. The US president claimed that both sides are 'very close' to a deal and that Iran has conceded on nuclear weapons, though 'a couple of points' still need to be resolved.
Key Demands in Negotiations
Trump emphasized that he has insisted on including a clause in any potential pact that would prevent Iran from being able to 'buy, purchase or acquire' nuclear weapons, in addition to banning their development. Speaking to NBC, he described Iran's new leadership as 'very smart, very rational' and even compared Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei favorably to his late father, Ali. Mr. Khamenei has not been seen publicly since his father was killed on the first day of the war, February 28.
US Troop Presence
The president made clear that US troops would remain in Iran until 'completion.' He stated: 'If we make a deal that now we're friendly, we'll all go together. It'll be our equipment. We'll take it out and destroy it, whether it's on-site or whether we take it off-site.' If Iran fails to agree to a deal, Trump warned he would 'take them out militarily very harshly.'
Monitoring Capabilities
Trump further suggested that he could monitor any uranium activity from space, asserting: 'You know, we have cameras on it, all over it. If anybody walked there, if you walked over there, I would be able to read your first name on your lapel.'
Blaming Predecessors
The president repeatedly blamed his predecessors, including Barack Obama, whose nuclear agreement with Iran Trump scrapped during his first term. However, he hinted at the possibility of reviving the original deal's commitment to unfreeze Iranian assets if Tehran's leadership 'behave.' When asked why Iran had not yet signed an agreement, Trump replied that it was a 'very hard thing for them' after years of being allowed to 'get away with murder.' He added: 'I think they can't believe they're in this situation where they're virtually decapitated.'
Recent Military Actions
On Saturday, the US military's central command reported shooting down several Iranian drones and missiles launched toward the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf states. It also said it had targeted some of the Islamic Republic's coastal surveillance radar sites. Meanwhile, a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon has come under strain as both sides exchanged fire. Israeli forces said at least five projectiles fired from Lebanon had been intercepted or landed in open areas. The IDF launched strikes on several areas in southern Lebanon in response to Hezbollah missiles.
