A group of Republican senators is calling for the “complete dismantlement and destruction of Iran’s nuclear program” as President Donald Trump’s administration holds renewed negotiations with Tehran. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced a resolution last week insisting any deal must prohibit Iran from domestic uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing, or maintaining any related infrastructure.
Despite this clear Republican position, the Trump administration has not confirmed whether it will demand a full halt to Iran’s enrichment program. President Trump said he has not yet decided, while Vice President J.D. Vance noted the administration “don’t mind” Iran having civil nuclear power.
Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear cooperation with Russia is expanding. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to finance and build new nuclear facilities in Iran, including expanding operations at the Bushehr plant. Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said Tehran and Moscow aim to “accelerate the implementation and finalization of cooperation memorandums with Russia’s Gazprom.”
Former U.S. envoy Elliott Abrams warned the Russian offer is designed to disrupt negotiations. “The Russian offer to build nuclear plants in Iran is meant to undermine the U.S.-Iran negotiations,” Abrams stated. “The Russians may have no such conditions, allowing Iran to build more and more nuclear plants while still enriching to very high, bomb-level numbers.”
Andrea Stricker of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies urged the Trump administration to take a firmer stance. “The administration has a robust one-two punch at the ready against Russia and Iran,” she said, calling for sanctions on Russia’s nuclear activities in Iran and the financial systems supporting them.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tied the previous administration to enabling Iran’s nuclear advancements. “The Biden administration deliberately enabled nuclear cooperation between Russia and Iran,” Cruz stated, “and now, with President Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ campaign and a Republican Congress, it’s time to break it.”
President Trump is currently beginning a trip to the Middle East to meet with the leaders of several Gulf States, some of which will plan to discuss the possible creation of their own civil nuclear programs.
