President Donald Trump acknowledged growing pessimism regarding Iran's willingness to completely halt uranium enrichment activities as part of renewed nuclear negotiations with Washington, though he emphasized his unwavering determination to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring atomic weapons capability during an exclusive interview with The New York Post's Miranda Devine.
The 78-year-old commander-in-chief expressed mounting skepticism about reaching a comprehensive agreement with Tehran during Monday's inaugural episode of Devine's new podcast "Pod Force One," scheduled for Wednesday release. The Post columnist conducted the wide-ranging discussion that revealed Trump's evolving assessment of diplomatic prospects with the Iranian regime.
"I don't know," Trump stated when Devine questioned whether he believed Iran would consent to shuttering its nuclear infrastructure. "I don't know. I did think so, and I'm getting more and more — less confident about it." The president's candid admission reflected a notable shift from earlier optimism about potential diplomatic breakthroughs with Iranian leadership.
Trump elaborated on his growing concerns about Iranian commitment to serious negotiations, telling The Post that recent developments have dampened his expectations. "They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame, but I'm less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made," he explained.
When Devine pressed about potential consequences if diplomatic efforts collapse entirely, Trump delivered an unambiguous response regarding nuclear proliferation. "Well, if they don't make a deal, they're not going to have a nuclear weapon," Trump answered. "If they do make a deal, they're not going have a nuclear weapon, too, you know? But they're not going a have a new nuclear weapon, so it's not going to matter from that standpoint."
The president expressed preference for peaceful resolution while maintaining firm red lines on Iranian nuclear capabilities. "But it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying, it's so much nicer to do it. But I don't think I see the same level of enthusiasm for them to make a deal. I think they would make a mistake, but we'll see. I guess time will tell," Trump told The Post.
United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has conducted indirect negotiations with Iranian representatives for several months with minimal tangible progress, according to The Post's reporting. The diplomatic initiative has encountered significant obstacles despite sustained engagement efforts through intermediary channels.
Witkoff previously suggested permitting continued Iranian uranium enrichment exclusively for civilian applications, mirroring elements of former President Barack Obama's 2015 nuclear agreement from which Trump withdrew American participation three years later. However, both State Department and White House officials have maintained absolute opposition to any Iranian enrichment activities whatsoever.
Trump dismissed speculation about Chinese influence affecting Tehran's negotiating posture when questioned by Devine about potential external factors. "I just think maybe they don't want to make a deal. What can I say?" he said. "And maybe they do. So what does that mean? There's nothing final," the president explained to The Post.
The Europe-based National Council of Resistance of Iran released estimates Tuesday indicating Tehran has allocated at least $2 trillion toward nuclear development initiatives over three decades. The opposition organization's financial analysis suggests Iranian nuclear spending has exceeded the regime's total petroleum revenues since 1979, estimated at approximately $1.5 trillion.
NCRI intelligence assessments identify the recently uncovered "Kavir Plan" as Iran's covert nuclear weapons development program receiving substantial funding allocations. "Tehran's dash to obtain nuclear weapons has intensified," the organization warned in a June 10 intelligence disclosure obtained by The Post.
Opposition researchers have identified four facilities allegedly connected to the Kavir Plan, all situated within or adjacent to north-central Semnan Province, which Iranian authorities have designated as restricted military territory. The locations represent potential sites for clandestine nuclear weapons research according to NCRI analysis.
