President Donald Trump announced that the United States will hold nuclear talks with Iran next week, hinting at the possibility of a new agreement despite claiming that recent U.S. military strikes had devastated Iran’s atomic program. Trump asserted that the strikes caused the “total obliteration” of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, setting it back by “decades”.
However, leaked U.S. intelligence suggests the impact may have been less severe, estimating that Iran’s nuclear ambitions were likely delayed by only a few months. This comes on the heels of a 12-day war between Iran and Israel, during which both nations launched their most intense attacks on one another to date.
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The U.S. joined the conflict in support of Israel, targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities — two with bunker-buster bombs and one with a submarine-launched missile. Trump claimed the ceasefire, which began Tuesday, was holding well and reiterated that “they’re not going to be building bombs for a long time.”
During his remarks, Trump also referenced a recent meeting with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, calling him “very impressive”. He told reporters that both Iran and Israel were “exhausted” from the conflict and suggested that the upcoming talks with Iran could result in an agreement.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has signaled openness to negotiations, though he emphasized Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy. While Israel’s military says it’s “too early” to fully assess the long-term impact of the strikes, both Iranian and Israeli officials admit significant damage was done to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
