What Trump’s Return Means for Iran’s Nuclear Program

What Trump’s Return Means for Iran’s Nuclear Program
International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran, Nov. 14, 2024 (AP photo by Vahid Salemi).

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA—the U.N.’s autonomous nuclear watchdog—met with Iran’s foreign minister and nuclear chief in Tehran today in an effort to restore cooperation between the IAEA and Iran. The visit comes as some European countries are pushing to pass a resolution that would put additional pressure on Iran to cooperate at an IAEA Board of Governors’ meeting next week. (AP)

Our Take

Iran’s nuclear program has been back in the spotlight for much of this year, largely because of Tehran’s involvement, by proxy and directly, in the regional war with Israel. Now, though, the looming return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House has made that spotlight even brighter.

After all, it was Trump’s decision in 2018 to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal—officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA—that freed Tehran from the constraints that agreement placed on its nuclear program. Since then, Iran has built up its stockpile of enriched uranium well above what it would need for a nuclear warhead, while enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and using previously forbidden advanced centrifuges to do so.

Keep reading for free

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

Get instant access to the rest of this article by creating a free account below. You'll also get access to three articles of your choice each month and our free newsletter:
Subscribe for an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review
  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of tens of thousands of articles.
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday.
  • The Daily Review email, with our take on the day’s most important news, the latest WPR analysis, what’s on our radar, and more.