What is Iran’s nuclear program and what do the US and Israel want?

US and Iranian officials negotiate in the capital Oman Muscat to try to reach a new transaction about Iran’s contradictory nuclear program.

Donald Trump pulled the United States from the previous nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers in 2018, and resumed economic sanctions, angered by Iran.

The US president warned of hostilities if the negotiations are unsuccessful.

Iran says its nuclear program is intended only for civic purposes.

He insists that he is not trying to develop nuclear weapons, but many countries – as well as a global nuclear watchman, an international nuclear energy agency (IAEA) are not convinced.

Suspicions of Iran’s intentions arose when it was found in 2002 that there were secret nuclear facilities in the country.

This violated an agreement called the Nuclear Non -Proliferation Agreement (NPT) signed by Iran and almost all other countries.

NPT allows countries to use non -military nuclear technologies – for example, for medicine, agriculture and energy – but do not allow to develop nuclear weapons.

Ever since the United States came out of the existing nuclear transaction – known as a joint comprehensive action plan or JCPOA – in 2018, Iran violated key obligations in retribution for the decision to restore the sanctions.

It installed thousands of advanced centrifuges (cleaning machines) for uranium enrichment, which was banned by JCpoa.

Nuclear weapons require uranium, which has enriched up to 90% clean. According to JCPOA, only up to 300 kg (600 pounds) of uranium, enriched to 3.67% – sufficient for civic nuclear energy and scientific and research goals, but not nuclear bombs.

But by March 2025, the IAEA stated that Iran had about 275 kg of uranium, which was enriched up to 60% purity. This is enough to theoretically do about half a dozen weapons when Iran is even more enriched by uranium.

US officials said Iran could turn this uranium into sufficient weapons for one bomb for a week. However, they also stated that Iran would be required to create nuclear weapons up to 18 months. Some experts say the “rough” device can be built in six months or less.

The UN, the United States and the EU have imposed extensive economic sanctions on Iran since 2010 about suspicion that its nuclear program was used to develop a bomb.

Sanctions prevented Iran to sell oil in international markets and froze $ 100 billion ($ 77 billion) of foreign assets in the country. His economy plunged into the recession, and the cost of its currency fell to a record low, which in turn caused inflation.

In 2015, Iran and six world states – USA, China, France, Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom – agreed with JCpoa after many years of talks.

In addition to restricting what Iran was allowed to do with its nuclear program, this allowed the IAEA to access all Iran’s nuclear facilities and to check the suspects.

In return, the powers agreed to lift the sanctions.

JCpoa was installed up to 15 years, after which the restrictions ended.

When Donald Trump took over in 2018, he removed the United States – which became a key pillar of the agreement.

He said it was a “bad deal” because it was not permanent and did not turn to the Iran’s ballistic missile program, among other things. Trump has resumed US sanctions under the maximum pressure campaign on Iran’s compulsion to negotiate a new and expanded agreement.

The decision of Trump was influenced by the regional allies of America, who opposed this transaction, mainly Israel.

Israel claimed that Iran was still holding a secret nuclear program and warned that Iran would use billions of dollars in sanctions to strengthen its military activity.

Trump’s announcement on negotiations with Iran will unexpectedly remove Israel. He said he would make a “better” deal for a long time than JCpoa, though Iran rejected the negotiation.

Earlier, Trump warned that if Iran does not make a new deal, “there would be a bombing.”

His national security advisor Mike Waltz said Trump wants a “full dismantling” of Iran’s nuclear program, adding: “This is enrichment, that is, a weapon, and it is his strategic missile program.”

Iran hopes the transaction limits, but does not demonstrate its nuclear program in exchange for help with sanctions.

“Our intention is to reach a fair and honorable agreement from an equal position,” said Iran Abbas Foreign Minister.

Although Trump said there would be “direct negotiations”, Arahchi said that the negotiations in Oman were only indirect when they were leaving, only a brief conversation between him and the US envoy Steve Witco.

Arahchi said Iran is ready to interact with the US, but Trump must first agree that there could be no “military version”.

Following Trump’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the only acceptable transaction would provide for Iran, which agrees to eliminate its nuclear program. He said it means: “We enter, break the funds and disassemble all the equipment, under American supervision and execution.”

Israel’s biggest fear will be that Trump can compromise from Iran’s complete surrender, which he can present as a diplomatic victory.

It is assumed that Israel, who has not signed NPT, has a nuclear weapon that does not confirm or deny. He believes that nuclear armed Iran, which does not accept Israel’s right to existence, poses a significant threat.

Both the US and Israel have military opportunities to bomb Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, but such an operation would be complicated and risky, with an uncertain result.

The key nuclear sites are buried deep underground, that is, only the most powerful bunker bombs can reach them. While the US has this bombs, Israel is not known.

Iran would almost certainly defend itself, which may include US assets attack in the region and shooting in Israel.

For this kind of US, the United States must probably use its bases in the Persian Gulf, as well as aircraft carriers.

But countries such as Qatar, which accepts the largest US air base, can disagree help with attacking Iran, fearing revenge.