U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz stated in an interview on ‘Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan’ that the Trump administration is focused on addressing Iran’s nuclear program during ongoing talks in Switzerland.
Vice President JD Vance met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, marking a rare direct encounter between high-level envoys from both countries. Waltz described these individuals as “hardliners,” citing their roles in Iran’s missile program creation and crackdown on protesters.
The administration’s primary goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, differing from previous U.S. policies with Iran. Despite initial plans for broader war aims, including destroying Iran’s missile program and regime change, the Trump administration has shifted focus to nuclear issues, allowing Iran to retain ballistic missiles without pursuing regime change.
Technical experts from the Department of Energy are involved in negotiations, addressing the specifics of Iran’s nuclear program, such as its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. A memorandum of understanding signed last week stated that both sides agreed on resolving the disposition of stockpiled enriched material, with downblending being the minimum outcome. However, few details were provided, leaving many technical issues to be addressed in upcoming talks.
President Trump has consistently maintained a red line against Iran enriching uranium, which Iran has often rejected. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Iran wasn’t actively developing weapons but had enriched uranium beyond non-military use levels. Waltz emphasized the goal of permanently destroying Iran’s nuclear program and highlighted verification as key in any deal, with sanctions relief offered for compliance.