Inside the Breakdown: Why Trump's Nuclear Negotiations with Iran Failed [View all]

Frank Figliuzzi

On Sunday, we learned that over 20 hours of in-person negotiations between the highest-ranking Iranian and U.S. officials to ever meet broke down over the Trump administration’s single-most important issue – nuclear weapons.

On Fox News, Trump explained, “It was a good meeting yesterday, really, a good meeting, except for one problem — and it’s 95 percent, they want to have nuclear weapons. It’s not going to happen.” The president went on to threaten attacks on electricity plants, missile production facilities, bridges and desalination plants if Iran did not relinquish its nuclear program.

Trump has repeatedly insisted, in fact 74 times according to the White House, that the world’s most notorious state sponsor of terrorism can never possess a nuclear weapon. The concept makes sense, yet the devil is in the details – particularly if it becomes a hazy, ill-defined rationale for a prolonged war devoid of a plan that preempts Iran’s nuclear intentions.

Reportedly, the negotiators in Islamabad discussed the estimated 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium (HEU) held by Iran. Since that HEU potentially represents a future nuclear weapon, it arguably gives Iran as much or more bargaining power than their control over the Strait of Hormuz. That’s why the Iranian regime is so reticent to give it up, even if it means reigniting more death and destruction.

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