Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on 29 May claimed that the Trump administration's sustained campaign of military and economic pressure has succeeded in bringing Iran to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme — achieving, he argued, what no previous US administration had managed. Speaking at a White House news conference in Washington, Bessent described the development as a significant shift in Tehran's position.

What Bessent Said

'President Trump has done something that no other administration is able to do,' Bessent told reporters. 'We have gotten the Iranians to talk about their nuclear program and to perhaps commit to not having one. That has never happened before. It had been off the table.'

The Treasury Secretary attributed the breakthrough to a combination of what he called 'kinetic action' — a reference to military operations — and sweeping economic sanctions. 'I think when you look at the results of the kinetic action, of our economic pressure, it has worked to bring them to the table and have a discussion on this,' he said.

US Demands on the Table

Bessent was unambiguous about Washington's conditions for any eventual deal. He said sanctions relief would remain contingent on Iran surrendering its highly enriched uranium, abandoning any pursuit of a nuclear weapon, and restoring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. 'Nothing is going to be on the table until we see the Strait of Hormuz open and the Iranians agree that they have to turn over the highly enriched uranium and that they can't have a nuclear program,' he said.

The administration declined to confirm reports of a tentative agreement, with officials signalling cautious optimism while stressing that negotiations remain ongoing.

Iran's Internal Divisions, as Washington Sees It

Bessent also suggested that Iran's leadership is internally fragmented and struggling to present a unified response. 'The Iranian government, such as it is, is three pillars. It is the elected government, it is the IRGC, and it is the clerics, and they are having trouble communicating,' he said. This framing positions Tehran as negotiating from a position of weakness — a characterisation Iran has historically rejected.

Notably, this comes amid a broader pattern of the Trump administration framing its coercive tools — sanctions and military posture — as diplomatic enablers rather than obstacles to a deal.

The Warning: Patience Has Limits

While stressing that President Donald Trump preferred a diplomatic resolution, Bessent issued a pointed warning. 'President Trump always prefers a peace deal. We do not have unlimited patience. If President Trump doesn't think he can get a peace deal, then kinetic is back,' he said.

The remarks reflect Washington's stated strategy of maintaining maximum pressure as leverage while keeping a diplomatic channel open — a posture that critics argue risks miscalculation if either side misreads the other's red lines. How Tehran responds publicly to Bessent's characterisation of its internal divisions is likely to shape the next phase of contacts.