‘That’s All I’d Accept’: Trump Stands Firm on Dismantling Iranian Nuclear Program as Tehran Tests New Missile

Latest Developments

• Iran Must Dismantle Nuclear Program: President Donald Trump told NBC’s Meet the Press that he would only accept a nuclear deal with Iran that includes the “total dismantlement” of Tehran’s nuclear program. “There’s a new theory going out there that Iran would be allowed to have civilian [nuclear capabilities] — meaning to make electricity,” Trump said in the May 4 interview. “But I say, you know, they have so much oil, what do they need it for?” He added that while he wants to see a prosperous Iran, “I just don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon because the world will be destroyed.”
• Araghchi Says Iran Has Right to Enrich: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded that Iran has the right to enrich uranium under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. “Maximalist positions and incendiary rhetoric achieve nothing except eroding the chances of success,” he wrote before positing a conspiracy theory that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to dictate U.S. diplomacy. After the fourth round of talks between the United States and Iran was postponed last week, Trump threatened to impose secondary sanctions on the purchasers of Iranian oil and petrochemicals.
• Iran Tests New Ballistic Missile: Iran claimed that it successfully tested a medium-range ballistic missile with a 745-mile range. Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh said that the solid-fueled “Qassem Basir” missile includes improvements in guidance and maneuverability to evade aerial defense systems. A major sticking point in the U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations has been the U.S. demand that Iran cease developing ballistic missiles, as these can be used to deliver a nuclear warhead.

FDD Expert Response

“President Trump has made clear: Iran’s nuclear program must be completely dismantled. That means no uranium enrichment, no plutonium reprocessing, and no nuclear delivery systems. And any deal must be strong enough to prevent Iran from resuming its nuclear weapons drive after President Trump leaves office.” — Mark Dubowitz, CEO

“President Trump importantly affirmed his commitment to obtaining Iran’s full, verifiable, and permanent nuclear disarmament through diplomacy. To achieve this, he must make his credible military threat and economic penalties even more robust. Tehran will look for ways to weaken these consequences, insert itself into U.S. domestic politics, and divide the coalition of states that want a nuclear-free Iran.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

“Iran’s newly unveiled ballistic missile reportedly upgrades the range and maneuverability of an older solid-fuel ballistic missile dubbed the ‘Shahid Haj Qassem.’ While improvements in ballistic missile maneuverability by Iran need to be taken with a grain of salt, they represent attempts to bypass or limit the effectiveness of existing American and allied missile defense systems in the region, which have a strong track record against Iranian projectiles.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow

FDD Background and Analysis

“Rubio Says Iran Must ‘Walk Away’ From Uranium Enrichment as Weekend Nuclear Talks Postponed,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘Stem the Flow of Revenue’: U.S. Sanctions Illicit Traders of Iranian Oil,” FDD Flash Brief

“Maximum Pressure on Tehran Regime in Motion as Trump Builds Negotiating Leverage,” by Janatan Sayeh and Behnam Ben Taleblu

“FAQ: What Should Be Washington’s Position on Iran’s Nuclear Dismantlement?” by Andrea Stricker and Janatan Sayeh

“Iran’s Nuclear Disarmament,” by Orde Kittrie, Andrea Stricker, and Behnam Ben Taleblu