Energy Secretary Chris Wright Warns US May Abandon Nuclear Deal Pursuit with Iran
As the U.S.-Iran conflict enters its seventh month, Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced on Sunday that the United States may not be able to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran that would prevent the country from having nuclear weapons. Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week,” Wright stated that instead of diplomatic pacts, Washington may rely on destroying Iran’s capabilities to do it.
“There may not be a nuclear agreement. It may be simply destroying their capabilities to do it,” Wright said during his Sunday morning appearance. He added that any future diplomatic framework might have to wait for a subsequent administration in Tehran, noting, “We simply don’t know that.”
Preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a central objective of President Donald Trump’s campaign, according to the administration. “If Iran has nuclear weapons, the Middle East, the world is a wildly different place than it is today,” Wright emphasized on ABC News, underscoring the high stakes involved.
Weighing Military Strikes Against Underground Infrastructure
Pressed on whether the administration plans to continuously target Iranian nuclear sites during reconstruction attempts, Wright confirmed that military action remains a tool for halting enrichment. Wright stated, “You have to destroy their capabilities to do it.”
“We are degrading their capacity to develop nuclear weapons and ultimately to deliver them if they develop them,” Wright said on “This Week.” He acknowledged the historical scope of the challenge, calling it a 47-year-long effort that is far from trivial, yet expressing confidence that Washington and its regional allies will achieve their objectives.
The collapse of a preliminary peace deal, known as the memorandum of understanding, cleared the path for heightened military and economic confrontations. Questions persist surrounding Tehran’s activities at the heavily fortified underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain. President Trump recently addressed the site, noting to reporters that intelligence operations are tracking movements closely and warning that the U.S. is prepared to strike if necessary.
Economic Stranglehold and Retaliatory Tanker Strikes
Alongside military operations, the administration has doubled down on economic warfare. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched “Operation Economic Outcast” last month to isolate Iran globally and asphyxiate the regime. These sanctions, combined with military blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, have severely impacted the Iranian economy, causing deep currency devaluation and inflation that top Iranian officials acknowledge are straining civilian livelihoods.
Military tensions escalated further over the weekend following an Iranian missile attack on U.S. Navy warships. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that a U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple ballistic missiles launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In retaliation, U.S. forces struck three Iranian crude oil carriers, permanently disabling one near Kharg Island and one near Jask, with another oil tanker attacked in the Gulf of Oman.
“Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced that stance in a post on X, emphasizing the direct consequences of targeting American vessels.
Iranian Response and Domestic Pressure
In Tehran, officials are recalibrating their posture. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator, announced Sunday that the country’s proportionate responses to U.S. attacks have concluded. Ghalibaf warned that any future violations of Iranian security would face a faster, heavier, and more painful response, though he simultaneously admitted the heavy toll of ongoing economic isolation on the domestic populace.
Energy Secretary Wright, addressing domestic economic concerns including gasoline prices sitting at an average of $4.14 a gallon nationwide according to American Automobile Association data, expressed optimism that refined product costs will stabilize. Citing adjusted refinery specifications and strategic efforts to keep oil flowing through regional chokepoints, the administration maintains that its multi-front economic and military strategy will ultimately achieve its strategic goals, with or without a signed nuclear accord.
