US President Donald Trump said on Sunday, 7 June that Iran and the United States are 'very close' to finalising a peace agreement, disclosing that Tehran has already accepted a clause committing it not to develop nuclear weapons. The remarks came during a wide-ranging interview with NBC News, in which Trump also addressed the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and the fate of Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles.

State of the Nuclear Talks

Trump acknowledged that 'a couple of points' of disagreement remain between Washington and Tehran, but downplayed their significance, saying they 'don't even seem like important points.' Crucially, he said Iran has accepted a clause renouncing the development of nuclear weapons. However, Trump specified that he wants Iran to also formally give up the right to acquire such weapons through other means — a demand to which Iran initially showed 'some resistance and then stopped doing so,' according to reports.

Trump confirmed he has 'never spoken directly' with Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, but said the Iranian leader 'is participating in the process to reach an agreement.' Trump described Mojtaba Khamenei as 'more rational than his father' Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an air raid on Tehran on 28 February — the first day of the current conflict. The US President also called the new Supreme Leader 'quite seriously injured' but praised what he characterised as the leader's courage in continuing negotiations.

'He is quite seriously injured. So there is courage in him. Many people, if they were so seriously injured, would not talk about, you know, ‘How are we doing with the United States?’. They would have other things on their mind,' Trump said in the NBC interview.

What Happens to Iran's Enriched Uranium

Trump outlined two distinct scenarios for dealing with Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles. If a peace agreement is reached, he said the US will cooperate with Iran to recover and dispose of the uranium using American equipment. 'We will take away and destroy the uranium, whether it is on site or we take it elsewhere,' he said.

If talks collapse, Trump warned of a harder line: 'We will militarily eliminate the uranium stockpiles very harshly.' He added a pointed caveat — 'We will not allow anyone to shoot at us' — signalling that any US-led uranium recovery operation would be conducted under military protection.

Trump Urges 'More Surgical' Israeli Strikes in Lebanon

Separately, Trump called on Israel to conduct 'more surgical' raids against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, expressing a desire for a more targeted approach. 'I would like Lebanon to have a better life. I would like to see a more targeted attack against Hezbollah. I think it should be more surgical,' he said.

The appeal came on a day when an Israeli raid in Beirut left two dead and 11 others injured. According to the latest official data, Israeli air raids on Lebanon have killed more than 3,560 people since the conflict resumed on 2 March. On the Israeli side, the army confirmed 29 soldiers and one civilian contractor have been killed in Lebanon.

What Comes Next

Trump reiterated his openness to direct talks with Mojtaba Khamenei, saying 'I would do it if he wanted to.' The new Iranian leadership is 'more rational and very intelligent,' he added. Whether the remaining sticking points can be bridged — particularly on the question of acquiring nuclear weapons through third-party means — will determine whether the first Iran-US peace framework since the war began on 28 February can be formalised in the coming weeks.