On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends First,” U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker stated that the “number one goal” in Iran is “getting a deal done that guarantees, forever, that Iran does not possess nuclear weapons.”
Whitaker said, “President Trump has, obviously, kept a clear goal of getting a deal done that guarantees, forever, that Iran does not possess nuclear weapons. And that’s going to always be the number one goal. And so, incrementally increasing the pressure on Iran and the regime, I think, will accomplish that.”
Later, guest co-host Ashley Strohmier asked, “[O]ne of the main issues, if not — it’s a huge issue with dealing with Iran, is who is making these decisions and who’s agreeing on this? Because we’ll say one thing, and then we’ll hear them say something completely different. So, obviously, that is something that is high on the radar for the administration. But do you think that they can actually come to some sort of agreement? If not all this pressure is put on them, but can there be — do you think there could be an agreement made with them?”
Whitaker answered, “I think there is always a chance for a deal to be made. We continue to be open to that possibility. But this is absolutely an issue, is knowing exactly who you’re making a deal with and can they follow through. And the bluster that we’re hearing from the Iranians is from desperation. They are obviously not strong. They are not in a strong position. It is time for them to come to the table, enter into the deal, no nuclear weapon, become a peaceful state that is part of the world community. And that is always open to them. But we do not have any tolerance for a nuclear-ambitious Iran, and President Trump has made that very clear.”
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