US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, 17 June signalled that Washington could accept a civilian nuclear programme in Iran under specific conditions, offering one of his clearest public indications yet of how the United States may navigate the next phase of nuclear negotiations with Tehran. The remarks came at a press conference following the G7 summit in Evian, France.

What Trump Said

While reiterating that Iran would never be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon, Trump acknowledged the complexity of denying Tehran civilian nuclear capabilities. “Well, I’ve said to them always, I say, look, you have probably the third largest oil reserves in the world, what the hell do you need nuclear for?” Trump said. “You need nuclear for some electricity.”

Trump added that the situation was nuanced when other countries in the region already possess such capabilities. “You know, it is a little hard though when you say that somebody wants it, other people have it, other adjoining states have it, and you’re not letting them have it for purposes of electricity and things like that,” he said. “It’s always a little tough. You have to use a little common sense.”

The Memorandum of Understanding

Trump’s comments follow a memorandum of understanding announced earlier this week between the US and Iran, under which Tehran has agreed that it “shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons” while both sides negotiate a comprehensive settlement within 60 days. The framework also calls for addressing Iran’s stockpile of enriched nuclear material and establishing verification measures under international supervision.

Senior US officials have stressed that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains the administration’s central objective. One senior official said the goal is to secure the removal of enriched material, curb Iran’s enrichment capabilities, and establish a verification regime capable of detecting violations.

The Military Threat

Trump made clear that any future agreement would be underpinned by the threat of military force. “If it’s not permanent, we will bomb them,” he said when asked how the deal would prevent Iran from eventually obtaining a nuclear weapon, before adding, “I don’t think that they’re going to veer from the agreement.”

What Comes Next

The remarks provide a window into the issues likely to dominate negotiations on a final agreement. The 60-day negotiating window established under the memorandum means a comprehensive deal—or its breakdown—could be determined by mid-August. The question of whether Iran retains any enrichment capacity for civilian purposes is expected to be among the most contested points at the table. This comes amid longstanding international scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear activities, which Tehran has consistently maintained are peaceful in intent.