"Iran agrees to never have nuclear weapons," says Trump after signing MoU with Tehran
Washington DC, June 16
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Iran has agreed to "never possess a nuclear weapon," while dismissing reports that Washington would provide USD 300 million to Tehran under the newly announced peace agreement as "fake news."
In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated his administration's position that the agreement with Iran would ensure that Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons.
"Iran has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon! Also, the story that the US is paying Iran 300 million Dollars is Fake News, put out by the Dumocrats!!!" Trump wrote.
His remarks come amid ongoing discussions surrounding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the United States and Iran, which establishes a framework for future engagement and links sanctions relief to Tehran's compliance with nuclear verification measures and regional security commitments.
Backing the President's position, US Vice President JD Vance said Trump's diplomatic efforts had once again delivered results and reaffirmed that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remained a central objective of the agreement.
In a video message shared on X, Vance said, "The President has been clear from day one: Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. Once again, President Trump's efforts to establish peace have paid off for the American people, despite countless attempts to thwart it by people who hate America and President Trump."
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared that Iran would never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, regardless of any agreement.
"For decades, I have been fighting Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. I can define this as my life's mission. I have upheld it until now, and I will uphold it in the future as well," Netanyahu said.
"With or without a deal, Iran will not have nuclear weapons. Not today, and not tomorrow. As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel, this will not happen," he added.
According to senior US administration officials, the memorandum signed by Trump and Vance creates a structure for future negotiations and bilateral relations between Washington and Tehran.
Officials said the agreement operates on a performance-based model, under which Iran's cooperation on nuclear inspections, verification measures and commitments against supporting regional extremism would determine the extent of sanctions relief and economic engagement.
"The more that the Iranians are willing to work with us on their nuclear program, on verifying that they're not building a nuclear weapon, on not funding radicalism and terrorism in the region, the more that they're going to be welcomed into the world economy through a combination of sanctions relief and other economic measures," administration officials said.
Vice President Vance had earlier stated that sanctions relief would follow only if Iran took verifiable steps to eliminate enriched uranium stockpiles and accepted a robust inspection regime.
The agreement is expected to be formally signed in Geneva later this week, with Switzerland coordinating efforts involving the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar. President Trump has described the accord as a "very powerful document" and indicated that its full text will be released publicly following the signing ceremony.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some good news from the Middle East! 🌍 As an Indian, I'm relieved that tensions might reduce. Iran getting nukes would have been disastrous for the entire region, including our own security. Let's hope this holds.
Trump calling it "fake news" about the $300 million is rich coming from him. And Pakistan being part of this deal? That's the real red flag for India. We've seen how they exploit every diplomatic opening.
Netanyahu's reaction speaks volumes - Israel will never trust Iran regardless of any agreement. For India, stability in West Asia is crucial for our energy security. Hope this doesn't become another JCPOA saga with everyone pulling out later.
True or not, this is a win for global peace. Iran with nukes would have triggered an arms race in the Middle East, directly impacting India's neighborhood. But I'm skeptical - Iran has been deceptive before. Let's see if they actually open up to inspections.
Trump's "dumocrats" comment aside, this is a diplomatic achievement. But as an Indian, I'm cautious about Pakistan's role as a facilitator. They always try to leverage such positions against us. India needs to monitor this closely.
S Siddharth J