US President Donald Trump has indicated he would accept a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear programme, signalling a possible shift from his earlier demand for a complete and permanent halt to Tehran’s uranium enrichment activities.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after concluding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump stressed that any agreement would need to involve a “real 20 years” of suspension.
The remarks appeared to mark a softer stance compared to his previous position, where he insisted Iran should never be allowed to enrich uranium or acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
Despite the apparent flexibility, Trump warned that his patience with Tehran was “running out”, adding that negotiations had yet to produce any major breakthrough.
The latest developments come amid ongoing tensions following large-scale Israeli and US military strikes on Iran that began on February 28. Although a ceasefire introduced last month has largely held, sporadic exchanges of fire have continued in parts of the region.
Pakistan has reportedly been acting as a mediator between the opposing sides in efforts to end the conflict.
However, major differences remain unresolved. Iranian media claimed Tehran recently proposed an immediate halt to hostilities across all fronts, including Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and guarantees against future attacks.
During the flight back from Beijing, Trump reiterated that both Washington and Beijing agreed Iran must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons and said Tehran should reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran is currently blocking amid the regional tensions.
When questioned about whether a 20-year suspension was sufficient, Trump responded that the key issue was ensuring Iran genuinely complied throughout the period.
US media previously reported that during negotiations in Islamabad earlier this year, Vice-President JD Vance had pushed for at least a 20-year suspension after Iran proposed a five-year pause in uranium enrichment.
However, this is believed to be the first time Trump himself has publicly endorsed the 20-year timeframe.
Trump’s latest remarks have also reignited attention on the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement negotiated under former President Barack Obama, which Trump withdrew from during his first term in office.
One of Trump’s major criticisms at the time involved the agreement’s “sunset clauses”, which would eventually allow some restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities to expire.
So far, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government have not publicly responded to Trump’s latest comments.
Netanyahu has consistently argued that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium must be completely removed before any conflict involving Tehran can truly be considered resolved, warning that Iran could still pose a major threat to Israel in the future.
