Iran has agreed not to have nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, but added that Tehran could still "change their mind." "I did have to say we have to do something about Iran, because regardless of how well we're doing [economically] we can't let them have a nuclear weapon," he said in the interview with the New York Post's "Pod Force One" podcast. "They've already agreed they're not going to have a nuclear weapon."

When asked if Iran had agreed to those terms, the US President said: "Oh yeah, they've agreed to that." "I mean, now they can change their mind, but that was one of the things they've had to agree, they've agreed to that. That was the big thing," he added.

Iran has not commented officially on Trump's statement but a government official told CNBC that the statements by the US President were "misleading." "Iran is a longstanding member of the NPT, and its nuclear programme has always been exclusively peaceful. Iran has never sought nuclear weapons, and therefore there is nothing new about Iran ‘agreeing not to have' them," the official said. "Repeatedly framing the issue as ‘Iran has agreed not to have nuclear weapons' falsely implies that Iran was previously pursuing such weapons. That implication is inaccurate and does not reflect the reality of Iran's declared policy and international obligation."

Diplomatic talks between Iran and US had hit a roadblock recently after Tehran suspended negotiations over Israel's military campaign in Lebanon. The war is approaching its 100th day.

US Secretary of StateMarco Rubio saidTuesday that talks between the two sides were ongoing, despite Iran's claims. Rubio also told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that Iran "could negotiate aspects of their nuclear program."

"There is the prospect before us, which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week, that for the first time, certainly in my memory, they have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention, much less enter into discussions about," he said.On

Monday, Iran's state-affiliated news agency said Tehran will move to fully close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for alleged ceasefire violations.

When asked during the interview whether the blockade of the waterway would still be in place by Labor Day, Trump said, "I think it could be, but I think it's unlikely." "I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly," he said.

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Rounak is a journalist with over 7 years of experience covering geopolitical and international affairs. He has a keen interest in research and explain...View More

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