Trump: Iran Deal Now 'Easy'

The original 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was a landmark agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers: the U.S., U.K., France, China, Russia, and Germany. Under its terms, Iran agreed to dismantle large parts of its nuclear program and allow for extensive international inspections in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. The deal strictly limited Iran's uranium enrichment to 3.67% purity, capped its stockpile of enriched uranium, and reduced its number of operating centrifuges for 10 to 15 years. These restrictions were designed to ensure that if Iran decided to pursue a nuclear weapon, it would take at least one year, providing the international community time to respond. The Trump administration unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA in May 2018, arguing the deal was flawed because it didn't address Iran's ballistic missile program or its regional influence. Following the U.S. withdrawal, "maximum pressure" sanctions were reimposed, targeting critical sectors of Iran's economy, including oil exports, which fell by over 60%. The reimposed sanctions have had a devastating impact on Iran's economy, leading to a currency crash, rising inflation, and a significant contraction of the middle class. Iran's GDP per capita fell from over $8,000 in 2012 to around $5,000 in 2024. In response to the U.S. withdrawal, Iran began to progressively violate the JCPOA's restrictions. As of mid-2025, Iran was enriching uranium up to 60% purity, far beyond the deal's 3.67% limit and a short technical step from weapons-grade (90%). Its stockpile of enriched uranium is now estimated to be more than 40 times what was permitted under the JCPOA. The Supreme Leader holds the ultimate political and religious authority in Iran, with final say on all state matters, including domestic and foreign policy. He is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and controls the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Should the Supreme Leader die or become incapacitated, an 88-member clerical body known as the Assembly of Experts is responsible for appointing his successor. In the interim, a temporary council, consisting of the president, the head of the judiciary, and a member of the Guardian Council, would manage the duties of the office. Formal diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran were severed on April 7, 1980, following the seizure of the American Embassy in Tehran. For decades, Switzerland has acted as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran, while Pakistan has served the same role for Iranian interests in the United States.