As hostilities between the United States and Iran escalate, a senior official in the Trump administration has cast doubt on the feasibility of securing a nuclear agreement. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on Sunday that a formal deal may not be reached, suggesting that the administration might instead focus on militarily dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Speaking on ABC’s ‘This Week,’ Wright indicated that the US strategy could shift toward directly neutralizing Iran’s ability to develop nuclear capabilities. He noted that the objective is to degrade their capacity to build weapons and the systems required to deliver them. When questioned by host Martha Raddatz about whether the US would favor sustained bombing campaigns over diplomatic efforts, Wright defended the current military approach, asserting that Iran currently lacks the capability to produce additional missiles.
While Wright acknowledged that a future agreement could potentially be reached under different leadership in Tehran, he emphasized that such an outcome remains uncertain. The administration’s current stance suggests that hopes for a negotiated settlement are fading as the conflict persists.
The rhetoric from the White House has notably downplayed the severity of the ongoing confrontation. President Donald Trump recently dismissed the war as “small potatoes,” while Vice President JD Vance claimed at a briefing this week that the situation does not constitute a war and that there is currently “no active shooting.” Vance also addressed reports of a US strike on a wedding in southern Iran by remarking that “sometimes things happen.”
Tensions have remained high since the collapse of a memorandum of understanding between the two nations in July. The subsequent period has been marked by intermittent combat, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces, and the implementation of a US naval blockade.
Despite the current impasse, Wright expressed confidence that the US would successfully resolve the conflict. He stated that the administration intends to work alongside regional allies and expects international partners to join the effort to bring the war to a close, though he provided no specific details on these potential coalitions.
The US has a history of targeting facilities it identifies as supporting Iran’s nuclear program. For its part, Tehran has consistently maintained that its nuclear activities are strictly for power generation and that it has no intention of developing nuclear weapons.
The White House has not yet provided further comment regarding the Secretary’s remarks or the broader strategy moving forward. The report also notes that the US has previously targeted facilities it said had been used to support Iran’s nuclear programme. The report also notes that however, the former oil executive whose agency oversees the US stockpile of nuclear weapons said that a deal with Iran could be possible under new leadership.
