US President Donald Trump has reiterated that the United States' primary goal regarding Iran is for Tehran to not develop or possess nuclear weapons.
"The number one goal is and always will be that Iran cannot, in any way, shape or circumstance, have a nuclear weapon," Trump wrote in a short post on his Truth Social platform on August 17.
His statement comes at the end of the memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Iran on June 17, which provided for a 60-day period for further talks, with the aim of the parties reaching an agreement to end the war that began six months ago.
Iran has consistently insisted that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, saying it does not aim to have nuclear weapons.
Iran and the US have failed to negotiate a deal on Tehran's nuclear program within the 60 days agreed upon by the parties for a broader agreement, while the memorandum's original stated goal - opening the Strait of Hormuz - has not been achieved.
Since the start of US and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, Tehran has blocked safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the war, about a fifth of global oil and gas supplies passed through the strait./rel
