Iran says 2025 'important year' for nuclear issue

Iran, preparing for the potential return of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy, announced on Saturday that 2025 would be a pivotal year for its nuclear issue.

In 2018, Trump withdrew from a 2015 agreement brokered by then-President Barack Obama, in which Iran had agreed to limit its uranium enrichment—key to producing nuclear weapons material—in exchange for the easing of U.S. and UN economic sanctions.

“2025 will be a significant year concerning Iran’s nuclear issue,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated during a press briefing in Beijing. Speaking to reporters, Araqchi, whose comments were broadcast on Iranian state TV, revealed that the topic had been discussed with his Chinese counterpart. However, he did not specifically name Trump or elaborate on the significance of 2025.

One of Tehran’s primary concerns may be the possibility of Trump emboldening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to launch attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, along with the likelihood of further tightening U.S. sanctions on Iran’s vital oil sector.