--- title: What Another Iran Nuclear Deal Can't Achieve description: The regime remains a grave threat to the region and the West, to say nothing of Iranians themselves, writes Roya Boroumand. canonical: https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/ author: Roya Boroumand article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-07-09T12:04:11.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T08:08:44.703Z article:section: Ideas og:title: What Another Iran Nuclear Deal Can't Achieve og:description: The regime remains a grave threat to the region and the West, to say nothing of Iranians themselves, writes Roya Boroumand. og:url: https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1c5a3fa743859bd6/6998c827d32e9326b1cd729a/GettyImages-1246060071.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-IRAN-PROTEST-WOMEN-RIGHTS og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Another Iran Nuclear Deal Can't Achieve twitter:description: The regime remains a grave threat to the region and the West, to say nothing of Iranians themselves, writes Roya Boroumand. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1c5a3fa743859bd6/6998c827d32e9326b1cd729a/GettyImages-1246060071.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What Another Iran Nuclear Deal Can't Achieve > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=a30b0dbc-d502-4027-9a0d-7d7d47eed1b0&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=a30b0dbc-d502-4027-9a0d-7d7d47eed1b0&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=a30b0dbc-d502-4027-9a0d-7d7d47eed1b0&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=a30b0dbc-d502-4027-9a0d-7d7d47eed1b0&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Trump Expects Iran to Open Itself to Inspection to Verify It Doesn't Restart Its Nuclear Program [Watch (HLS stream): Trump Expects Iran to Open Itself to Inspection to Verify It Doesn't Restart Its Nuclear Program](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kfgEWhrJ.m3u8) (3:52)  _Published 2025-06-27. U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify it doesn't restart its nuclear program._ by [Roya Boroumand](https://time.com/author/roya-boroumand/) ## Roya Boroumand Contributor Roya Boroumand is cofounder and executive director of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran. Jul 9, 2025 12:04 PM UTC U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify it doesn't restart its nuclear program. by [Roya Boroumand](https://time.com/author/roya-boroumand/) ## Roya Boroumand Contributor Roya Boroumand is cofounder and executive director of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran. Jul 9, 2025 12:04 PM UTC Israeli and U.S. attacks have dealt a major [blow](https://time.com/7293886/iranian-generals-scientists-targets-killed-by-israeli-strikes/) to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The public, aware that the regime’s ambitions brought war to the home front, did not rally behind it. Nor have Iranians risen up in protest—and for good reason. Now, a paranoid and humiliated state is [ready](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/7/irans-president-says-open-to-dialogue-with-us-after-israel-war) for talks, as it [turns on its own terrified people](https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/07/un-experts-urge-iran-choose-protection-over-repression-after-ceasefire). But the Trump Administration should resist dialogue that does not include opening a path to a more representative political system that gives voice to Iranians who do not want the present hostility with the West. For decades, Western policymakers have underestimated Iran’s soft power, focusing narrowly on dismantling its military and nuclear capabilities in the hope that this alone would deliver peace. Israel’s [Operation Rising Lion](https://time.com/7293976/israel-iran-attack-war-hezbollah/) and [U.S. bunker buster bombs](https://time.com/7296469/u-s-strikes-iran-nuclear-trump-war/) on various nuclear sites on June 21was the culmination of that strategy. But it is a failed one nonetheless. Even a nuclear-free Iran remains a grave threat to the region and the West, to say nothing of Iranians themselves. Various approaches to Iran—isolation, containment, engagement, and maximum pressure—have failed to curb the regime’s malign activities. The Islamic Republic’s allied militant groups [may be hobbled](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/15/israels-attack-on-iran-has-a-real-chance-of-bringing-about-regime-change) for now, but the regime continues to wield influence through [Islamic centers](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swedish-government-says-stockholm-mosque-used-by-iran-spying-2025-02-03/), schools and universities, and mosques across [Africa](https://www.lesclesdumoyenorient.com/Iran-on-the-offensive-in-Africa.html), [Latin America](https://ict.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Paredes-Esteban%5FPenetration-and-Influence-of-the-Islamic-Republic-of-Iran-in-Latin-America%5F2023%5F22%5F11-1.pdf), [Europe](https://www.dw.com/en/germany-shuts-down-islamic-center-hamburg/a-69747298), and Asia. The Supreme Leader’s speeches and propaganda are available in eight languages on his website. This machinery radicalizes communities, recruits operatives, launders funds, and [targets opponents abroad](https://www.iranrights.org/newsletter/issue/158). Iranians who want peace and prosperity have no say in their country’s foreign policy. The current laws and practices ensure, by design, that decision making remains in the hand of those loyal to revolutionary ideals and dissent is suppressed. Even officials inclined toward reform are unable to overcome these obstacles. Elections are [tightly controlled](https://www.iranrights.org/attachments/library/doc%5F325.pdf), opposition is criminalized, political parties are banned, and dissenters—even peaceful ones are silenced. Expecting Iranians to rise up during Israel’s bombing campaign was, at best, unrealistic. They have [risen up again and again](https://time.com/6234429/iran-protests-revolution-history/) since March 1979\. They were met with death, beatings, prison, and torture. My organization has documented the execution of at least 4,376 activists—including 175 children—following the mass protest of June 20, 1981\. The regime has continued to violently crush protests ever since, including the recent Woman, Life, Freedom movement. **Read More:** [_The Women of Iran Are TIME's 2022 Heroes of the Year_ ](https://time.com/heroes-of-the-year-2022-women-of-iran/) In 2025 alone, Iran has executed at least 629 people—102 of them last month. A number of ethnic and religious minorities, [including Kurds](https://kurdistanhumanrights.org/en/tag/azad-shojaei), are among those who have been put to death. Hundreds more have also been [arrested](https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250627-iran-arrests-seized-weapons-mossad-connection-israel) on suspicion of being part of an “Israeli spy network” following the 12-day Iran-Israel war that began on June 13, and many potentially face execution. Today, Iran’s leaders are weakened and [broke](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-rulers-caught-between-trumps-crackdown-fragile-economy-2025-03-14/). Their legitimacy is at a historic low. They’ve lost regional leverage with the [fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria](https://time.com/7201451/syria-assad-hts-russia-israel-us-explainer/) and Israel’s assault on Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Hamas. This hobbled position offers a rare chance for the international community—in consultation with experts as well as Iranian activists and victims—to demand concrete, verifiable steps toward genuine political inclusion. What does that look like? 1\. **Put Iranians’ rights at the heart of negotiations.** Any agreement should be binding and include guarantees for freedom of religion and belief, association, expression, and the right to fair elections. Iran is already bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights—demand compliance under international supervision. 2\. **Tie sanctions relief and economic incentives to political milestones.** Examples include the release of all political prisoners, the repeal of laws criminalizing dissent, dismantling bodies such as the Guardian Council that block free participation and dissidents’ access to media. 3\. **Engage and empower Iran’s civil society.** This means sustained support for independent media, human rights defenders, labor unions, and women’s rights activists, among others. They are the West’s natural allies in building a lasting peace. 4\. **Be consistent.** Past approaches—isolation, containment, or short-term engagement—have failed by focusing on weapons rather than people’s rights and the regime’s structures of control. An effective strategy is one that is innovative and consistent, aiming for long term rather than short term results. There are still [question marks](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/us/politics/iran-nuclear-us-strike-trump.html) over the extent of damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, and the [fate of the country’s enriched uranium](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/us/politics/iran-nuclear-program-uranium.html). But it is important to acknowledge that no Israeli or U.S. bomb can dismantle Iran’s machinery of repression. No airstrike can uproot its indoctrinated global networks. Only a credible political opening—backed by conditions, pressure, and robust support for Iranians—can erode the foundations of clerical rule. Now is the time to do better than another nuclear deal. This is the opportunity to seek a lasting agreement that benefits both Iranians and the world, one that includes the majority of Iranians who reject a regime that steals their resources, isolates their country, and impoverishes them. Many Iranians have fought for this right, at great cost. They are relevant to any talks. ## Transcript [00:00] I'm wondering now, sir, if you believe that Iran has given up its long history of [00:05] ambitions with nuclear weapons or what you would like [00:08] to see from them to prove that they do. [00:11] And what type of meetings is your administration looking for? [00:13] So Iran wants to meet. [00:15] As you know, there are sites were obliterated. [00:18] They're very evil nuclear sites. [00:19] They were now has been proven. [00:21] We had some fake news for a little while. [00:23] The same people that covered the Hunter Biden laptop was from Russia. [00:28] The same people that did 3 or 4 other. [00:30] Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. [00:32] No, no, wait, wait. Just listen. [00:35] They came up with something that delayed [00:37] the credit that our great pilots and these great American. [00:40] I mean, they what talent that was. [00:42] And they hit it right down in the spot. [00:44] 52,000ft. [00:46] Think of this dark, no moon. [00:47] You couldn't see a thing. [00:49] And they hit the refrigerator door, as they say. [00:52] That's the size of a target. [00:54] And overwhelmingly. [00:56] And it's amazing what was done. [00:59] We're the only ones that could have done it. [01:00] And we took out the other two of the other sites also. [01:04] In addition to that, we finished them off. [01:06] That was a very evil intention. [01:08] I believe that, and again, time will tell. [01:12] But I don't believe that they're going to go back into nuclear anytime soon. [01:17] They spent over $1 trillion on nuclear, [01:19] and they never got it together. [01:21] And nothing was moved from the site. [01:23] By the way, to do that is very dangerous. [01:25] It's very, very heavy material. [01:27] Those cars were most likely the cars of masons [01:29] because they were pouring concrete at the top, [01:32] at the hatch, as you know, [01:34] the hatch going into the nuclear site. [01:36] They wanted to reinforce it, [01:38] and they had some masons there pouring concrete. [01:41] By the way, that concrete was obliterated. [01:43] It hit exactly at the concrete. [01:45] It was I don't think it had a chance to dry, [01:48] but everything's down there. [01:50] It's under millions of tons of rock. [01:53] As you go into negotiations and talks with Iran, [01:56] are you demanding not only that, [01:58] there would be no uranium production inside of Iran, [02:01] but also that Iran would turn over all existing stockpiles of uranium? [02:06] Well, you know, we're a little early for that, [02:08] but something like that. [02:09] Yeah, we'll do something like that. [02:10] Let me say that I've been saying for 25 years, [02:14] even as a civilian, [02:16] you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon. [02:19] And that's what happened. [02:20] It's been obliterated. [02:21] It would be years before they could ever get going. [02:24] And I really think it's probably the last thing they have to recover from. [02:27] A hell of a tough war. [02:29] Would you also be demanding that the IAEA [02:32] have full rights to inspect in Iran or somebody? [02:35] Yeah. Or somebody that we respect, including ourselves. [02:38] Sir, are you concerned at all about [02:40] secret nuclear sites in Iran? You talk about maybe just. [02:43] Secret nuclear. [02:43] Sites? Yes, there might be some. [02:45] What can I tell you? [02:47] They're exhausted. [02:49] And Israel's exhausted, too. [02:51] And I dealt with both of them, [02:54] and they both wanted it settled. [02:56] Both of them. And we did a great job. [02:59] But they're exhausted. [03:00] The last thing they're thinking about right now is nuclear. [03:03] You know what they're thinking of. [03:04] They're thinking about tomorrow, [03:06] trying to live in such a mess. It's such a mess. [03:09] The place was bombed to hell. [03:11] And, no, I'm not worried about it at all. [03:14] And I'm putting out a little statement. [03:17] I'm going to respond to the Ayatollah's statement [03:20] yesterday that we won the war. Won the war. [03:25] And I said, look, you're a man of great faith, [03:28] a man who is highly respected in his country. [03:31] You have to tell the truth. You got beat to hell. [03:34] And Israel was beat up, too. [03:37] They were both beat up. [03:38] And it was a great time to end it. It was quick. [03:42] They got the hate out. A lot of hate. [03:44] A lot of hate. It would be great if they didn't have that hate. [03:46] But the last thing they're thinking about is nuclear weapons right now. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/"},"headline":"What Another Iran Nuclear Deal Can't Achieve","datePublished":"2025-07-09T12:04:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T08:08:44.703Z","description":"The regime remains a grave threat to the region and the West, to say nothing of Iranians themselves.","url":"https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/","keywords":["world affairs","freelance"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1c5a3fa743859bd6/6998c827d32e9326b1cd729a/GettyImages-1246060071.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Roya Boroumand","jobTitle":"Contributor","url":"https://time.com/author/roya-boroumand/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1c5a3fa743859bd6/6998c827d32e9326b1cd729a/GettyImages-1246060071.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-IRAN-PROTEST-WOMEN-RIGHTS","caption":"TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-IRAN-PROTEST-WOMEN-RIGHTS","creditText":"Justin Tallis—AFP via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/world-affairs/","name":"world affairs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/","name":"What Another Iran Nuclear Deal Can't Achieve"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Trump Expects Iran to Open Itself to Inspection to Verify It Doesn't Restart Its Nuclear Program","description":"U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify it doesn't restart its nuclear program.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/kfgEWhrJ/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2025-06-27T20:16:15.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kfgEWhrJ.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/","duration":"PT3M52S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/7300874/trump-iran-nuclear-talks/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```