U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday, June 17, that Iran must not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, emphasising that Washington looks forward to Tehran’s full compliance with international obligations.
Speaking to reporters following his return from Canada, where he attended the G7 summit, Trump said the United States is not merely seeking a ceasefire between Iran and Israel but is pursuing a lasting resolution to the conflict.
“We are not interested in just a ceasefire,” Trump said. “We want to see a genuine end to Iran’s nuclear program. That program will be eliminated.”
The President indicated he may send his Middle East envoy, Stefan
Witkoff, or Witkoff’s deputy, De Vance, to the region for discussions with Iranian officials. He criticised Tehran for failing to accept a prior diplomatic offer, stating, “Iran had to conclude the deal that was on the table.”
Trump also warned that Iran is “very close” to acquiring a nuclear weapon, although he added that there is currently no evidence of interference by Russia or North Korea in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
On Monday, Trump urged residents of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to evacuate immediately.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, he wrote, “Iran should have signed the agreement I asked them to sign. What a shame, what a waste of human lives.”
He reiterated his stance after departing the G7 meetings, saying, “Simply put, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I have repeated this over and over again. Everyone should evacuate Tehran immediately.”
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that any attempt to change the Iranian regime by force would be a “strategic mistake.”
“Anyone who thinks that bombing from outside will save a country against its will is wrong,” Macron said during a press briefing on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
Tehran, in response, accused the G7 on Tuesday of displaying bias toward Israel and criticised the bloc for failing to condemn Israeli strikes on Iran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei wrote on X, “The G7 must abandon its unilateral rhetoric and address the real source of the escalation, represented by Israel’s aggression.”
He added, “Iran is defending itself in the face of a brutal attack. Does Iran have other options?”
At the same time, the Chinese embassy in Tehran issued a warning to its citizens, advising them to leave Iran via land routes due to the ongoing Israeli strikes.
“We advise our citizens to leave Iran through land crossings, for their own safety,” the embassy said in a statement posted on its official WeChat account.
