Trump Demands Total Dismantlement of Iran’s Nuclear Program

President Donald Trump on Sunday made it clear that the United States will only accept the “total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program as the outcome of current negotiations—marking the first time he has publicly stated such a firm position since talks resumed last month.

In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump told host Kristen Welker, “Total dismantlement. Yes, that is all I would accept.” His remarks come after increasing pressure from Republican lawmakers, evangelical groups, and close allies to clarify the administration’s approach to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

I Want Them to Be Successful, Just Without Nukes, says Trump 

Though Trump struck a tough tone, he also offered a carrot along with the stick, saying he envisions a prosperous future for Iran—so long as nuclear weapons are not part of it.

“I want Iran to be really successful, really great, really fantastic. The only thing they can’t have is a nuclear weapon,” he said. “If they want to be successful, that’s okay. I want them to be so successful. I just don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon because the world will be destroyed.”

Trump’s comments appear to end a long-running internal debate within the administration over whether the U.S. should push for complete dismantlement or allow Iran to keep some uranium enrichment capacity under a peaceful civilian program.

Civilian Program May Be on the Table

Trump did not close the door entirely on Iran having nuclear energy for non-military use. “There’s a pathway to a civil, peaceful nuclear program if they want one,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said recently, echoing views the president signaled he was open to considering.

This reflects a possible compromise point, but Trump did not elaborate on how that would be monitored or enforced.

Internal Split and External Pressure

Behind the scenes, there has been division within Trump’s own team. More hawkish voices—backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—are calling for the U.S. to consider military options if Iran refuses a full dismantlement. Others within the administration argue that pushing too hard could trigger a war and believe the U.S. should allow limited enrichment to reach a deal peacefully.

For now, Trump’s comments have settled the question: The official U.S. stance is no nuclear weapons, period.

As negotiations continue, all eyes will be on how Iran responds to this.