Donald Trump reiterates that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons

US President Donald Trump has reiterated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains the central objective of Washingtons policy towards Tehran while expressing confidence that the United States will achieve its goals either through diplomacy or other meansSpeaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday Trump said negotiations with Iran are continuing but stressed that any future agreement must ensure Tehran is permanently barred from developing nuclear weaponsNuclear Programme Remains Core Issue in TalksAddressing questions about ongoing discussions with Iran Trump said the primary focus of the negotiations has not changedAccording to the US President the United States is seeking a deal that would prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons under any circumstances He maintained that Washingtons objective is to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels but asserted that the US would ultimately secure its desired outcomeTrump said the administration remains engaged in talks and suggested that discussions are progressing although he stopped short of predicting when a final agreement might be reachedTrump Draws Contrast With ObamaEra Nuclear DealThe US President also criticised the nuclear agreement negotiated during the administration of former President Barack Obama arguing that it failed to adequately prevent Iran from pursuing nuclear capabilitiesTrump reiterated his longstanding criticism of the agreement which he withdrew the United States from during his first term in office He claimed that any potential new arrangement under his administration would differ significantly and would contain stronger safeguards against nuclear proliferationAccording to Trump the proposed framework being discussed would ensure that Iran would never be able to develop or possess a nuclear weaponRemarks on Previous Military OperationsDuring the interaction Trump also defended earlier US military strikes targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure He argued that the operations caused extensive damage to facilities associated with Tehrans nuclear programmeThe US President claimed that the targeted sites remain under surveillance and maintained that previous military action had significantly weakened Irans nuclear capabilitiesHis comments come amid continuing international debate over the effectiveness and longterm impact of military operations on Irans nuclear infrastructureWarning Over Potential Attacks on US PersonnelTrump also addressed broader security concerns in the region and warned of a swift response if American military personnel were targetedWhen asked about the possibility of attacks on US troops the US President indicated that Washington would react decisively to any such incident His remarks underscored the continued tensions that remain despite ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countriesPossibility of Diplomatic Engagement Remains OpenDespite his tough rhetoric Trump signalled that diplomatic engagement with Irans leadership remains possibleWhen asked whether he would consider meeting Irans leadership the US President said he remained open to discussions if doing so could help secure an agreement He suggested that dialogue remains an option as negotiations continueThe comments reflect the administrations dualtrack approach of maintaining diplomatic channels while continuing to exert pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme and regional activitiesStrait of Hormuz Remains Key Strategic ConcernTrump also discussed regional security issues including freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz one of the worlds most critical energy transit routesThe strait serves as a vital corridor for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments making stability in the region crucial for international energy markets Trump said the United States has consulted allies on the issue but emphasised that Washington possesses the capability to act independently if requiredGlobal Attention on Future AgreementThe US Presidents remarks come as diplomatic efforts continue to focus on reaching a longterm arrangement concerning Irans nuclear programme and broader regional security concernsWith inputs from IANS