The White House reaffirmed former President Donald Trump’s firm stance on dealing with Iran after Tehran’s outright rejection of Trump’s call for new negotiations on a nuclear agreement. In a statement on Saturday, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes emphasized Trump’s long-standing assertion that Iran has two options—either reach a deal with the U.S. or face military consequences.
“We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror,” Hughes said, responding to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who dismissed the idea of negotiations as an attempt by the West to impose further demands on Iran.
Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority, delivered a defiant message, insisting that Iran would not succumb to external pressure to negotiate a new nuclear agreement.
“The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues. … Talks for them is a pathway to have new demands, it is not only about Iran’s nuclear issue. … Iran will definitely not accept their expectations,” Khamenei stated, without mentioning Trump by name.
His remarks reflect Iran’s deep mistrust of Western diplomatic overtures, particularly in light of past agreements that Tehran believes were either violated or manipulated to serve American interests.
During his presidency from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. The agreement, signed between Iran and six world powers—including the U.S., China, Russia, France, the U.K., and Germany—had imposed strict limitations on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
In 2018, Trump formally pulled the U.S. out of the deal, calling it “the worst agreement ever negotiated” and reimposed crippling economic sanctions on Iran. His administration sought to exert “maximum pressure” on Tehran, arguing that the deal failed to curb Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional influence.
Iran reacted to Trump’s withdrawal by gradually breaching the JCPOA’s limits on uranium enrichment, stockpiling enriched uranium far beyond the agreed threshold. Today, Tehran’s nuclear program is more advanced than ever, with Iran enriching uranium to levels just below weapons-grade capability.
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has repeatedly warned that time is running out for diplomacy. Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has urged world powers to impose new restrictions on Iran’s activities before it reaches full nuclear breakout capability.
“Iran’s nuclear advances are concerning, and we are approaching a point where diplomatic efforts will become increasingly difficult,” Grossi said last month.
After taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden attempted to revive the JCPOA, engaging in indirect talks with Iran through European intermediaries. However, negotiations stalled due to disagreements over sanctions relief, Iran’s regional activities, and U.S. guarantees that a future administration wouldn’t withdraw from the deal again.
Despite Biden’s diplomatic efforts, Iran continued to accelerate its nuclear program, further complicating the prospects for an agreement. With Trump now reasserting his influence in U.S. foreign policy discussions, his hardline stance on Iran is once again a focal point.
Trump and his allies have long argued that military action must remain a viable option to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions. While no direct military confrontation occurred during Trump’s presidency, tensions escalated significantly, particularly after the U.S. assassinated Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in a 2020 drone strike. Iran responded with missile attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, raising fears of a full-scale war.
With Tehran’s continued defiance and the failure of diplomatic solutions, questions arise about whether a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities could be back on the table. Some analysts warn that such an approach could lead to severe regional instability, drawing in Iran’s proxies, including Hezbollah and militias in Iraq and Syria.
Iran faces mounting domestic pressures as well. The country’s economy has been crippled by U.S. sanctions, leading to widespread discontent among its population. Protests have erupted in recent years over economic hardships, government repression, and human rights violations.
Despite these internal challenges, Iran’s leadership remains resolute in its opposition to Western demands. Khamenei’s rejection of negotiations underscores Tehran’s determination to resist external pressure, even at the cost of further economic deterioration.
With Trump’s continued influence in American politics and the possibility of another Trump presidency in 2025, Iran’s nuclear issue remains a critical geopolitical flashpoint. Should Trump or another Republican return to the White House, Tehran could face even more aggressive policies, including potential military action.
