Trump Declares Iran Will Not Have Nukes as Fragile Peace Deal Crumbles

US President Donald Trump has drawn a firm red line, declaring emphatically that Iran 'cannot have a nuclear weapon,' just as a crucial 60-day negotiation window for a peace deal slams shut with no agreement in sight. This latest warning comes amidst escalating military tensions and after an interim Memorandum of Understanding, signed only in June, quickly unraveled, leaving the two nations further apart than ever. The geopolitical stakes couldn't be higher. With the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) officially dead since October 2025, Iran has aggressively expanded its uranium enrichment program, now possessing significant stockpiles of 60% enriched uranium—a level alarmingly close to weapons-grade. This defiance persists despite punitive US-Israeli military strikes in 2025 and early 2026, which targeted key Iranian nuclear facilities like Natanz. Meanwhile, the vital Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, with Iran asserting control and reportedly attacking oil tankers, prompting President Trump's stern threat against Oman for any interference. As the deadline expires, the path forward is fraught with peril. There's no indication of a diplomatic breakthrough, and both sides appear unwilling to budge, particularly on Iran highly enriched uranium stockpile and its new, deeply buried nuclear facilities like 'Pickaxe Mountain,' which Trump has vowed to destroy. Alarmingly, reports even suggest discussions within the Trump administration about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons to neutralize such hardened underground sites, underscoring the extreme volatility of this unresolved standoff.