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Top US officials have warned that Iran must completely abandon its nuclear ambitions and dismantle its entire program in a transparent, verifiable manner—or likely face military action.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the United States, Israel, and many Western countries have accused Iran for over two decades of covertly pursuing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian energy program. These suspicions stem from Iran’s history of secret nuclear facilities, such as the Natanz and Fordow enrichment plants, which were built in secret and only revealed after intelligence leaks or international pressure. Although Iran insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes like energy production and medical research, US and Israeli officials—as well as numerous Western intelligence agencies—say those claims are bullshit, pointing to Iran’s enrichment of uranium far beyond civilian levels and its accumulation of fissile material sufficient for multiple nuclear bombs.
What’s going on now: During interviews on Sunday, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff laid out the Trump administration’s stance toward Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Waltz, speaking on CBS’s Face the Nation, made it clear that the US is demanding a complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, stating, “Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see.” He noted that the administration is not interested in partial agreements or incremental progress, saying, “This isn’t some kind of, you know, kind of tit-for-tat that we had under the Obama administration or Biden. This is the full program. Give it up or there will be consequences.”
Waltz warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would trigger a dangerous arms race in the Middle East, calling it “completely unacceptable for our national security.” He also reiterated that “all options are on the table,” including the use of military force.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff echoed this message while appearing on Fox News, explaining that the administration still sees a path through diplomacy but is preparing for alternative measures if talks fail. He said, “We don’t need to solve everything militarily, Our signal to Iran is, ‘Let’s sit down and see if we can, through dialogue, through diplomacy, get to the right place.’ If we can, we are prepared to do that. And if we can’t, the alternative is not a great alternative.”
Witkoff also confirmed that President Trump had sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader proposing a verification framework to ensure the non-weaponization of nuclear material. However, Iran’s initial response to the letter has been dismissive, with its leadership questioning the United States’ intentions.
