WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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Author: M.J. Gdnus
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promised today that the U.S. will "attack" Iran if nuclear talks fail, a day after rare discussions between officials from both countries aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“If we cannot resolve this at the negotiating table, there are other options to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear bomb,” Hegseth said in an interview with CBS.
According to him, the U.S. does not want it to come to that, but will take action if necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Discussions on Iran’s nuclear program took place in Oman on Saturday, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to resort to military force if no compromise is reached.
The talks, led by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, represent “a step forward toward a mutually satisfactory agreement,” said the White House.
Following a brief direct conversation with Witkoff during indirect talks in Muscat, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that talks would continue next Saturday.
Long-time adversaries, Iran and the U.S. are attempting to reach a new nuclear agreement after the U.S. withdrew from the previous deal, a decision made by Donald Trump during his first term in 2018.
In 2015, Iran reached an agreement in Vienna with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, and the U.S. regarding its nuclear program. In return, the deal called for a reduction in international sanctions on Tehran.
However, in 2018, Donald Trump, then U.S. president, unilaterally pulled the U.S. out of the agreement and reimposed heavy sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran increased its stockpiles of enriched uranium to 60 percent, while 90 percent is needed to make nuclear weapons.
On March 7, the U.S. president said he had sent a letter to Iranian authorities proposing talks to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, while threatening military intervention.
Iranian officials later responded, stating they were against direct negotiations under “maximum pressure and threats,” but were open to indirect contacts.
