After Months of War, Trump Says Iran Has Right to Nuclear Program

- Donald Trump recently said Iran has a "right" to a nuclear program, a sharp shift from his own administration's "maximum pressure" policy, which sought to drive Iran's nuclear capabilities to zero. - During his presidency, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), which had limited Iran's enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief, and instead reimposed crippling sanctions. - Iran has since advanced its enrichment to near weapons-grade levels (60%+ purity), a threshold it had never crossed while the deal was in place. - The remark comes amid escalating conflict between Israel and Iran-backed groups (Hamas, Hezbollah), and as Iran reportedly delivered ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. - Critics see the statement as legitimizing behavior the U.S. has long called unacceptable, while supporters argue it reflects a pragmatic recognition of Iran's technical reality after the collapse of the 2015 framework.