Trump Prioritizes Iran Nuclear Threat Over Economic Concerns
US President Donald Trump on Monday stated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is more critical than the risk of a global economic depression. Speaking at the White House during the signing of two Executive Orders on quantum technology, Trump warned that enforcement measures would follow if Iran fails to comply with commitments made during the initial round of technical talks in Switzerland.
"If Iran doesn't live up to their agreement, or if they're not behaving, I will do what I have to do," Trump told reporters. He added that continued cooperation from Tehran would ensure stability, saying, "As long as they respect us, we are not going to have any trouble."
Rejection of Depression Fears
When questioned about potential global economic fallout from military action against Iran, Trump dismissed concerns that such steps could trigger a depression. "Well, not the way I'm doing it. It's not going to cause depression," he said. He argued that nuclear proliferation poses a more severe threat than economic downturns. "If they don't abide by -- well, nuclear weapons supersede depression. Depression is real bad... a nuclear weapon will cause depression much more quickly," Trump said, reiterating that military options remain on the table if Iran does not comply with any eventual agreement.
Diplomatic Developments in Switzerland
Trump's remarks follow Vice President JD Vance's assertion that Iran is prepared to accept extensive weapons inspections as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts after recent talks in Switzerland under a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU). In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Everybody is fully aware that Iran will agree to have Major Weapons Inspections in order to ensure 'Nuclear Honesty' long into the future."
Vance described the latest round of US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland as productive. Speaking at the Burgenstock resort, he said, "We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal," adding that the talks established mechanisms related to regional stability and Tehran's nuclear oversight. Vance also claimed that Iran had agreed to allow nuclear inspectors into the country, calling it a significant step toward ensuring Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons.
Iranian Rebuttal
However, Iran has pushed back against those claims. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stated that Tehran's engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue under existing safeguards obligations and in accordance with decisions by Iran's Parliament and the Supreme National Security Council. Speaking to Iran's state-run news agency IRNA, Baqaei said, "Iran's interactions with the Agency, in accordance with Iran's obligations under the Safeguards Agreements, will continue according to existing procedures and comply with the laws enacted by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) and the decisions of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC)."
