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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, chaired the twelfth meeting of his cabinet this Wednesday in the Cabinet Room of the White House, at a critical moment in negotiations with Iran, and emphatically reaffirmed that Tehran will never obtain a nuclear weapon: “I’m doing this for the world, not just for us”.
The session, originally scheduled for Camp David but moved to the White House due to potential adverse weather conditions, brought together Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, among other cabinet members.
"People understand it. They know that, very simply, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I do it for the world," Trump stated, adding that Operation Epic Fury ensures that "the world's primary state sponsor of terrorism never obtains a nuclear weapon."
The president described Iran as a country that "negotiates in smoke." "The navy has disappeared, as I've said a thousand times. Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Everything is gone, and they're negotiating in smoke," he asserted.
Trump estimated Iranian inflation at 250%, although independent sources report official figures around 50-67% for 2026, with food inflation exceeding 100%.
"Your economy is in free fall. Your currency is worthless. Your entire economic system has collapsed," the president insisted, believing that Iran "has no other option" but to negotiate.
However, Trump warned that if the talks fail, Washington could "get the job done," and he was emphatic in rejecting any prior economic concessions: "We are not talking about any relief from sanctions or giving out money. No sanctions, no money, nothing at all."
Regarding the fate of Iran's highly enriched uranium, Trump dismissed the possibility of Russia or China taking charge of it: "I wouldn’t feel comfortable" with that option.
The president also tied any final agreement to the expansion of the Abraham Accords, the framework for normalization with Israel that during his first term added the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
"We could strike a good deal right now, but perhaps not a great one. And if it's not a great deal, we won't close it," he stated, urging Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan to join the framework.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Trump was emphatic: "It will be open for everyone. These are international waters. No one will control it. We will monitor it, but no one will control it." He also warned Oman that "it will behave like everyone else, or we will have to blow it up."
The president also dismissed the idea that internal political pressures influence his negotiating stance: "I don't care about the midterm elections. The people understand that."
Rubio, for his part, acknowledged progress in the conversations and defended the diplomatic approach, although he was equally firm before the microphones of the live coverage from CNN: “We prefer the negotiated diplomatic route and will give it every opportunity to succeed.”
The Secretary of State concluded his remarks with a direct warning: "Iran and the people in charge of Iran will never be able to possess a nuclear weapon, and certainly not while you are President of the United States."
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