The nuclear deal process with Iran within the US administration has turned into a new topic of debate due to disagreements among top officials. It was reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe expressed serious doubts to President Donald Trump and some officials about whether Iran is ready to make the desired concessions.
The report stated that these doubts are based on information gathered by several American intelligence agencies. According to assessments, the course of negotiations inside Iran did not fully align with the messages Tehran conveyed to mediators and Washington.
The disagreement was not limited to the intelligence side. It was noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth were skeptical about the likelihood of the deal, while Vice President JD Vance and Trump’s representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner supported the process.
Before announcing the deal, Trump reportedly discussed intelligence assessments with senior advisors, with conflicting interpretations of Iran’s stance emerging during the meetings. The White House emphasized that the president listened to all opinions but would make the final decision himself.
Statements from within the administration highlighted that Iran should never possess nuclear weapons, cannot hold highly enriched uranium, and must not use global energy supply as leverage. It was also argued that Trump would only approve a good deal favorable to the US.
The report conveyed that the nuclear materials in the agreement signed on Sunday aim to pave the way for a more detailed agreement within the next 60 days. Accordingly, Vance, Witkoff, and Kushner are expected to meet next Friday with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and mediators from Pakistan and Qatar.
An American source said both sides committed to resolving the enriched uranium stock issue and framing future enrichment and other nuclear needs in the final agreement. The same source added that the negotiated framework allows Iran to maintain its nuclear program as is during ongoing talks, while the US will not impose new sanctions or send additional troops to the region.
According to the text, if a final agreement is reached, the US will withdraw its forces assigned for war within 30 days and lift all sanctions on Iran according to the agreed schedule. The initial agreement consists of 14 articles, though the full text has not been published.
Some American officials opposing the deal argued that Iran would not sign a nuclear agreement under Washington’s imposed conditions and would gain more from the process. Conversely, two officials supporting the deal said all benefits Iran gains depend on significant steps taken.
Another American official stated that Iran’s seriousness about nuclear concessions will be clear within two or three weeks; otherwise, the process could stall without major gains for Iran. Supporters of the deal say it is a long-term initiative that can only succeed if Iran dismantles its nuclear program and pursues comprehensive internal reforms.
