David Marchese

So, Michael, it's been really fascinating, right? Because Steve Witkoff, who really had no experience in dealing with nuclear issues before, announced on Fox News the other day that actually he's just interested in capping the program.

So, Michael, it's been really fascinating, right? Because Steve Witkoff, who really had no experience in dealing with nuclear issues before, announced on Fox News the other day that actually he's just interested in capping the program.

And making sure that we could verify that the Iranians were not producing uranium at 60% purity, but instead at a much lower number, what you'd use for power plants. David, that sounds a lot, a lot like the deal Obama reached. If it sounds a lot like the old Obama agreement, it's because it's a lot like the old Obama agreement. Right. But, you know, the demands keep changing.

And making sure that we could verify that the Iranians were not producing uranium at 60% purity, but instead at a much lower number, what you'd use for power plants. David, that sounds a lot, a lot like the deal Obama reached. If it sounds a lot like the old Obama agreement, it's because it's a lot like the old Obama agreement. Right. But, you know, the demands keep changing.

So on Tuesday, Witkoff backed off of his comments about merely capping the nuclear program, and he repeated the call for eliminating the entire nuclear program. So we don't know yet what the exact terms will be. But I'm sure that there will be features that let Trump claim he got a lot more than Obama did, that his deal's really different.

So on Tuesday, Witkoff backed off of his comments about merely capping the nuclear program, and he repeated the call for eliminating the entire nuclear program. So we don't know yet what the exact terms will be. But I'm sure that there will be features that let Trump claim he got a lot more than Obama did, that his deal's really different.

That's certainly right. So he's going to have to prove that it's longer and stronger. Remember, the original deal was going to expire in 2030. Well, that seemed a long way away when they were doing this in 2015. But it's only five years from now. It's not very long. So it would certainly have to have a much longer timeline.

That's certainly right. So he's going to have to prove that it's longer and stronger. Remember, the original deal was going to expire in 2030. Well, that seemed a long way away when they were doing this in 2015. But it's only five years from now. It's not very long. So it would certainly have to have a much longer timeline.

And then there's something harder because, I mean, you can measure how much nuclear fuel they have. But Witkoff also said that they needed to verify that they weren't working on what he called nuclear triggers, the technology to make a weapon. And that's really hard to go do because you can hide that work in a million different places and you can do a lot of it virtually online. on computers.

And then there's something harder because, I mean, you can measure how much nuclear fuel they have. But Witkoff also said that they needed to verify that they weren't working on what he called nuclear triggers, the technology to make a weapon. And that's really hard to go do because you can hide that work in a million different places and you can do a lot of it virtually online. on computers.

Oh, and by the way, you can buy nuclear triggers from a willing seller. Who are among the Iranians' best new friends in recent times? The North Koreans, and they've mastered this technology.

Oh, and by the way, you can buy nuclear triggers from a willing seller. Who are among the Iranians' best new friends in recent times? The North Koreans, and they've mastered this technology.

What they would get, Michael, is relief from these crushing economic sanctions that have limited the amount of oil that Iran can ship around the world, that has made it impossible to go invest in Iran. that has left their air fleet without spare parts, that has made it difficult to get even medical help, and that has stopped their connections to the world's banking system.

What they would get, Michael, is relief from these crushing economic sanctions that have limited the amount of oil that Iran can ship around the world, that has made it impossible to go invest in Iran. that has left their air fleet without spare parts, that has made it difficult to get even medical help, and that has stopped their connections to the world's banking system.

So they would want all of these kind of sanctions, which Trump reimposed in 2018 when he pulled out of the deal, they would want all of those lifted.

So they would want all of these kind of sanctions, which Trump reimposed in 2018 when he pulled out of the deal, they would want all of those lifted.

I think the chance... is pretty good. But the history of Iranian nuclear negotiations is that people walk right up to sealing a deal. And then in the end, it's the decision of one man, Ayatollah Khamenei, who previously forbid even direct discussions with the United States.

I think the chance... is pretty good. But the history of Iranian nuclear negotiations is that people walk right up to sealing a deal. And then in the end, it's the decision of one man, Ayatollah Khamenei, who previously forbid even direct discussions with the United States.

but now is issuing cautious-sounding statements saying, well, let's basically play this out and see what they're willing to offer.

but now is issuing cautious-sounding statements saying, well, let's basically play this out and see what they're willing to offer.