Trump Says Iran Resumed Its Pursuit of ‘Sinister’ Nuclear Aims

Article content(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump claimed that Iran is working to reconstitute its nuclear program even as it negotiates with Washington, adding to speculation that he’s preparing for a fresh round of military strikes in the coming days.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentIranian officials are “again pursuing their sinister ambitions” after US airstrikes devastated the country’s nuclear program last year, Trump said in his State of the Union address on Tuesday. Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article content“They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words: ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon,’” he added. “We wiped it out, and they want to start all over again.”Article contentArticle contentArticle contentIran has long argued that its nuclear program is for purely peaceful purposes. In a social media post earlier Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country will “under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon.”Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentTrump has paired his rhetoric with a massive military buildup in the Middle East over the last few weeks. His envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are set for a new round of talks with Iranian officials in Geneva on Thursday.Article contentTrump has warned he’s considering a range of options for military strikes if the talks break down, though he’s said his preference is to reach a deal. The president and administration officials have given conflicting public accounts of what they actually want from a new agreement with Tehran. Article content“A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority,” Araghchi said.Article contentIran committed in a 2015 deal with the US and global partners never to seek a nuclear weapon, and Trump backed out of that arrangement in his first term, saying it didn’t offer sufficient safeguards against a future breakout. Before the attacks in June, Iran had enough highly enriched material to quickly craft about a dozen warheads, if orders were given to weaponize its nuclear program.Article contentArticle contentInspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency haven’t verified the state of Iran’s stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium or assessed the scope of damage dealt to enrichment facilities for more than eight months.Article contentWhile the talks are focused on the nuclear issue, the president also pointed to Iran’s ballistic missile program, terrorist activity and support for proxies that have menaced the US and its allies in the region.Article contentEarlier Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed senior lawmakers on Iran, amid growing demands for the White House to explain its rationale for the military buildup, which has included aircraft carriers, guided missile destroyers, fighter jets and refueling tankers.Article contentThe meeting with the so-called Gang of Eight lasted for about an hour, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing the deliberations.Article contentThe group, which discusses highly classified intelligence matters with the US executive branch, typically includes the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees as well as the the majority and minority leaders of both houses.Article content“It is incumbent upon the president to make the case of what our country’s goals are, what our country’s interests are, and how we’re going to protect American interests in the region,” Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, told reporters after attending the briefing.Article content“This is not something that this administration has done a lot of,” he said. Article content—With assistance from Catherine Lucey.Article contentTrending Canada's housing market suffers largest price decline among major economies, says BIS Real Estate Posthaste: Canadian dollar is facing a big risk that markets seem to be overlooking News New cross-border U.S. pipeline proposal could revive idle Keystone XL assets: analysts Oil & Gas Garry Marr: Mexico chaos shows it's time to start thinking of your vacation as an investment and hedge your bets Personal Finance Here's why mortgage renewals may be the banks' biggest rip-off Personal Finance Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Canada's housing market suffers largest price decline among major economies, says BIS Real Estate Posthaste: Canadian dollar is facing a big risk that markets seem to be overlooking News New cross-border U.S. pipeline proposal could revive idle Keystone XL assets: analysts Oil & Gas Garry Marr: Mexico chaos shows it's time to start thinking of your vacation as an investment and hedge your bets Personal Finance Here's why mortgage renewals may be the banks' biggest rip-off Personal Finance