Trump Defends Iran Talks, Says Deal Must Be ‘Great and Meaningful’ or There Will Be ‘No Deal’

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump pushed back Monday against sharp criticism from Republicans and former administration officials over a potential U.S.-Iran agreement, insisting that any final accord must prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon or it will not be signed.

“The deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, saying any agreement would be “the exact opposite” of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Obama-era nuclear deal he has long condemned.

Trump said he would not accept a framework that gives Iran “a direct and open path to a Nuclear Weapon,” adding, “No, I don’t do deals like that!”

The president’s remarks came as the White House said negotiations with Tehran were moving in an “orderly and constructive manner,” while stressing that Trump had instructed his representatives not to rush. “Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes,” the White House said, quoting the president.

According to Reuters, citing Axios, the emerging proposal could involve reopening the Strait of Hormuz during a 60-day ceasefire extension, while broader negotiations continue over Iran’s nuclear program. Axios reported that oil prices fell after signs of a possible U.S.-Iran agreement, though major logistical and security challenges remain before global shipping confidence could be restored.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a central issue in the talks, as the narrow waterway remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. A reopening would ease pressure on global oil markets, but Washington is facing growing concern that sanctions relief or renewed Iranian oil exports could strengthen Tehran without permanently ending its nuclear threat.

Trump rejected that criticism, saying opponents were attacking an agreement “they know nothing about” because it has not yet been fully negotiated.

“Our deal is the exact opposite,” Trump wrote Sunday, comparing it to the Obama-era JCPOA. “I don’t make bad deals.”

Netanyahu Says Any Deal Must Dismantle Iran’s Nuclear Threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he had spoken with Trump and that both leaders agreed any final Iran agreement must eliminate the nuclear danger entirely.

“President Trump and I agreed that any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger,” Netanyahu wrote, saying that would require dismantling Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites and removing enriched nuclear material from Iranian territory.

“My policy, like President Trump’s, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu also said Trump reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats “on every front, including Lebanon,” a key assurance as Israel continues to confront Hezbollah, Iran’s most powerful regional proxy.

The Israeli leader’s remarks appeared designed to reassure critics in Jerusalem and Washington that any diplomatic track with Tehran would not come at Israel’s expense.

Conservative Critics Warn Against Sanctions Relief

Trump’s comments followed mounting criticism from several Republican voices, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Sen. Ted Cruz, who warned that easing sanctions or giving Tehran access to new revenue could empower the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s regional terror network.

Pompeo argued that a weak deal would resemble the approach of Obama-era negotiators and warned against any arrangement that allows Iran to rebuild its military or nuclear capabilities. The Times of Israel reported that Pompeo compared the possible terms to the 2015 nuclear deal and said it could allow Tehran to “terrorize the world.”

Cruz said he was “deeply concerned” that Iran could receive billions of dollars while maintaining effective leverage over the Strait of Hormuz and preserving nuclear capabilities. Several senior Republican senators have also criticized reports of an emerging 60-day ceasefire framework.

The White House and Trump allies have defended the talks, arguing that negotiations are not finished and that critics are attacking a deal before seeing its final terms. Fox News reported that senior Trump advisers pushed back against Pompeo and Cruz, accusing them of undermining the president’s peace efforts.

Iran Approval Could Take Days

A U.S. official told Axios that approval from Iran’s leadership could take several days, with Iran’s senior political and religious authorities needing to sign off before any agreement is finalized. Iran International, citing Axios, reported Sunday that no signing was expected that day and that negotiators were still working through unresolved language.

Trump has said time is “on our side” and has emphasized that sanctions and U.S. pressure will remain in place until a deal is completed, certified, and signed.

The president is attempting to balance two urgent objectives: ending the war with Iran and reopening a critical global shipping route, while ensuring Tehran is not allowed to preserve the infrastructure needed to build a nuclear weapon.

As negotiations continue, Trump is signaling that he is willing to walk away unless the final terms meet his stated red line: no nuclear weapon for Iran.

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