‘Any US-Iran nuclear deal is an illusion without proper checks’

Can the US and Iran strike a last-minute nuclear deal to end the war?With the two-week ceasefire deadline expiring on Wednesday, peace talks are tentatively set to go ahead in Pakistan between US Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation led by Mohammad Ghalibaf. Donald Trump has threatened to resume bombing if negotiations fail, but a major stumbling block remains: Iran’s nuclear programme. Washington wants Tehran to end all advanced uranium enrichment and give up its 450kg of “nuclear dust” that is currently buried under rubble. Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, tells foreign editor Louis Emanuel that without proper verification on the ground, any agreement will be an “illusion”. Meanwhile, senior foreign correspondent Memphis Barker explains how the "ghost" of the previous Iran nuclear agreement - Barack Obama's 2015 JCPOA - looms large over everything. Can Trump strike a better deal now than the one he tore up in 2018?Plus, Roland Oliphant runs through the latest updates and news from across the region, including what is going on in the Strait of Hormuz and some clarity on when the ceasefire actually ends.  Highlights:Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, on why a nuclear deal with Iran is tricky but doableWhy the ghost of Obama’s 2015 Iran nuclear deal looms over peace talksCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantMemphis Barker, senior foreign correspondent @memphisbarkerLouis Emanuel, foreign editor @louisjemanuelRafael Grossi, director general IAEA @rafaelmgrossiCONTENT REFERENCED:Exclusive interview: World faces new nuclear arms raceWhy Obama’s Iran nuclear deal looms large over Trump’s negotiationsProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected] ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.