US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told CBS News the president is unequivocal that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. He said some press reports about the deal are incorrect and described the arrangement as performance-based, with funds released only after verified steps. Hegseth stressed strict verification and said nuclear material would be removed and destroyed as the programme is dismantled. The comments underscore US insistence on phased implementation and oversight.
Hegseth: US Says Iran Will 'Never' Obtain Nuclear Weapon Under Performance-Based Deal
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on US President Donald Trump
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told CBS News on Sunday that the president has been unequivocal: Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. Hegseth stressed that any agreement under US oversight would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons capability.
Performance-Based Terms
Responding to recent media reports about the terms of a proposed agreement, Hegseth said some publicly reported details are inaccurate and have caused confusion. He described the arrangement as strictly performance-based, with economic relief tied to verifiable steps by Iran.
'The president has been most clear about it — Iran will never have a nuclear weapon — never, full stop,' Hegseth said.
Verification, Not Trust
'No money will be released to Iran until they perform,' Hegseth said, emphasizing that incentives are conditional. 'There's no trust here, and we are going to verify everything,' he added, underscoring US insistence on monitoring and verification mechanisms.
Implementation Measures
According to Hegseth, implementation would include removing and destroying nuclear material and dismantling parts of Iran's nuclear programme as verifiable steps before any sanctions relief or financial transfers occur.
Context: These remarks echo Washington's longstanding demand for rigorous verification and phased implementation to ensure Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons capability.
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