Trump Undermines Envoy’s Offer in Iran Talks \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Trump rejected a proposal from his Iran envoy that would allow limited uranium enrichment, insisting Iran must fully dismantle its nuclear program. The contradiction exposes a rift in U.S. negotiation strategy amid sensitive talks. Trump’s stance aligns with a hardline approach to block Iran’s nuclear ambitions entirely.
Quick Looks
- Trump demands full dismantlement of Iran’s uranium enrichment
- Envoy Steve Witkoff’s offer included low-level civilian enrichment
- Trump: “WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!”
- White House calls Trump’s message “cold, hard truth”
- Plan would shut down Iran’s underground enrichment sites temporarily
- Proposal mirrored elements of the 2015 nuclear deal
- IAEA reports Iran increasing near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile
- Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, yet tensions rise
- Concessions in Witkoff’s plan may upset Israel, pro-Israel lawmakers
- Trump previously withdrew from 2015 Iran deal in 2017
Deep Look
President Donald Trump on Monday publicly undercut a nuclear proposal reportedly offered by his special envoy to Iran, declaring that Tehran will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal to ease U.S. sanctions. The statement introduces fresh tension into already delicate negotiations between the U.S. and Iran and could have wide-reaching implications for global diplomacy and regional stability.
“Under our potential Agreement — WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!” Trump wrote on social media, signaling a hardline stance that appears to contradict recent diplomatic efforts led by Steve Witkoff, the administration’s special envoy for Iran.
According to recent reports by Axios, confirmed by a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity, Witkoff’s team had proposed allowing low-level uranium enrichment for civilian purposes — such as medical research and energy production — in exchange for Tehran agreeing to shut down its underground enrichment facilities for a set period. The plan reportedly included a regional consortium to manage Iran’s civilian nuclear fuel cycle, an idea originally floated in early iterations of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the JCPOA.
That agreement, negotiated under President Obama, allowed limited enrichment under strict monitoring. Trump withdrew from the deal in 2017, criticizing it as too lenient and insufficient to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. His latest post reflects a return to the “zero enrichment” policy, which many hardliners have long advocated.
While Iran continues to deny that it seeks to build nuclear weapons, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported this week that Tehran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched near weapons-grade levels, raising alarm in Washington and across the region.
Despite White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the new proposal “detailed and acceptable,” Trump’s forceful statement suggests he may not support key aspects of it. A White House official attempted to reconcile the contradiction, calling Trump’s message “the cold, hard truth” and emphasizing that the administration’s offer includes “very tough” conditions designed to eliminate any path for Iran to acquire a nuclear bomb.
The Trump administration has reentered direct nuclear negotiations with Iran for the first time in several years, with sources confirming multiple rounds of discreet talks. However, Trump’s remarks raise doubts about whether any agreement will be achievable if the U.S. insists on the total dismantlement of Iran’s enrichment capabilities — a condition Tehran has repeatedly rejected.
Iranian officials have warned they will not agree to any deal that fully eliminates enrichment, calling it a sovereign right under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iranian state media has not yet commented on Trump’s latest remarks, but analysts expect a strong response if the U.S. hardens its position.
The proposal’s reported concessions have already stirred unease among Israel and its allies in the U.S. Congress, especially among those who view any enrichment as unacceptable. Critics argue that allowing even civilian-grade enrichment enables Iran to preserve the infrastructure necessary for a future weapons program.
Dan Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel under Obama, highlighted the contradiction between Trump’s statement and the reported proposal. “This proposal poses a moment of truth for critics of previous Iran nuclear negotiations… Will they hold Trump to the same standard?” he wrote on X.
Trump’s own administration has long claimed it would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons by maintaining maximum pressure. Monday’s public rebuke of the reported terms raises questions about whether the negotiations are coordinated — or whether Trump is setting new, unannounced red lines that could derail the process.
Analysts warn that walking back flexibility could have ripple effects, alienating allies and emboldening hardliners in Tehran. It could also further complicate ties with Israel, which opposes any enrichment allowance, and Gulf Arab states, which previously rejected the regional enrichment consortium idea.
The timing is also critical. With the IAEA’s latest report confirming Iran’s growing nuclear stockpile, pressure is mounting on the U.S. to resolve the issue diplomatically — or face the prospect of renewed confrontation.
For now, the Trump administration remains publicly committed to diplomacy. But if the president’s statement becomes official policy, the space for negotiation may quickly close, bringing back the specter of escalating tensions in the Middle East.
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