Pentagon Chief: Iran Nuclear Issue May Be Pushed to Later Talks

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said this evening (*Motzaei Shabbat*) in a briefing with reporters that addressing the Iranian nuclear issue may be postponed to later stages of the negotiations. Hegseth stressed, however, that "although Iran may refuse to give up its nuclear ambitions at the present time, over time and around the negotiating table it will be forced to do so."

Over the weekend, the countries' leaders, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei, did not announce that they were approving the memorandum of understanding. Hegseth made clear that Trump is prepared to sign a deal only if it is "great for the country and for the security of the world." According to him, the president is ready for a deal now, but is also prepared for a military confrontation with Iran if necessary. "We are ready," Hegseth said. "We are even more strongly prepared today than we were on day one to handle this in that way if we have to. But he would prefer not to."

He added that Iran knows clearly what the U.S. expectations are, and that the role of the negotiating team is to achieve them. Hegseth referred to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and clarified that the blockade is continuing.

According to several reports in the U.S., yesterday Trump instructed that the Iranians be told that the draft submitted for his approval "is not acceptable to him" and that he is hardening the agreed terms. According to the report, Trump is angry that Khamenei "is not responding." The memorandum that was supposed to be approved includes lifting the American blockade after the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the removal of mines by the Iranians, a 60-day ceasefire, including in Lebanon, easing some sanctions dealing with permission for Iran to currently sell oil, and the release of a relatively tiny portion of the frozen Iranian funds.