President says Iran deal is near and vows Iran 'will not have a nuclear weapon'

President Donald Trump told reporters that he expects a near-term signing of a memorandum of understanding with Iran and repeatedly asserted that Iran "will not have a nuclear weapon." When asked whether Iran's Supreme Leader had approved the deal, the president said, "I understand the answer is yes." He said the memorandum is "very detailed" and that he expected finalization "quickly," adding he did not want to set a formal deadline.

The president linked the anticipated agreement to recent military pressure, saying U.S. strikes and operations had left Iran's military capability degraded and that the combination of pressure and diplomacy produced the current outcome. In the recorded remarks he described recent operations in combative language, saying U.S. forces had been "taking out ships" at night over the past month; he said that pressure increased the other side's willingness to reach an agreement.

Why it matters: A senior executive branch assertion that Iran has committed not to pursue or obtain a nuclear weapon would be a major foreign-policy development. In the transcript the president framed the memorandum as constraining Iran's nuclear capacity; he also said that if the memorandum is signed, the United States would lift a blockade as part of the deal.

What reporters asked and what was said: Reporters repeatedly requested details on timing, approvals and specific nuclear restrictions. The president said he believed the Supreme Leader had approved the deal and that the signing could happen "maybe over the weekend," but declined to commit to a fixed timetable. He characterized the agreement as a "strong memorandum of understanding" and said multiple countries with influence over Iran had agreed to it. He did not, in the recorded exchange, provide documentary evidence or release text of the memorandum during the briefing.

What is not recorded here: The transcript records the president's statements and beliefs about the memorandum and the effects of recent U.S. operations. The remarks attribute commitments to Iran (for example, that they would not "have a nuclear weapon") to the content of negotiations and the memorandum as described by the president. Those claims are reported here exactly as stated; the transcript does not include the text of the memorandum or independent verification of Iran's commitments.