Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that the United States may not reach a nuclear agreement with Iran. During an interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” Wright said an agreement might have to await a future Iranian administration and that the outcome remained uncertain.
Asked how Washington would prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon without an agreement, Wright said the United States would have to destroy Iran’s capabilities. He said the U.S. was degrading Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and the missiles that could deliver them, and that the effort would continue with regional allies.
Wright’s comments describe the administration’s approach; they do not independently establish the extent or permanence of damage to Iran’s nuclear program. His appearance did not announce a signed agreement, a new military order or a timetable for ending the conflict.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said in June that it had lost continuity of knowledge about nuclear material at affected Iranian facilities and could not effectively verify much of Iran’s program. Director General Rafael Grossi said a sustainable resolution requires a long-lasting, verifiable diplomatic agreement and an IAEA verification role.
