Trump administration is seeking
CBSMAR 23
US Demands Full Dismantlement of Iran's Nuclear Program
Above: On March 11, 2025, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz addresses the media after meeting with a Ukrainian team in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Image copyright: Saul Loeb/Contributor/AFP via Getty Image
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Iranian nuclear program poses an existential threat to Middle East stability and global security. A nuclear-armed Iran would trigger an arms race across the region and embolden its proxy forces like the Houthis and Hamas. Only complete dismantlement of Iran's nuclear capabilities can ensure regional peace.
Establishment-critical narrative
Iran's nuclear program serves peaceful purposes and the country has the sovereign right to develop civilian nuclear technology. American demands for complete dismantlement represent an aggressive policy of economic warfare and military threats that violate international law and Iran's sovereignty.