Trita Parsi

the Iranians have made significant progress, which is part of the challenge that Trump now has to deal with. But it's also, frankly, out of his own making. Had he not pulled out of the deal, the situation would have been very, very different right now.

When Obama started serious negotiations with the Iranians, if the Iranians had made a decision to build a bomb, it would take them eight to 12 weeks to have the material for a bomb, the fissile material. It doesn't mean that they would have a bomb. It probably would take them another two years to build a bomb, test the bomb, et cetera. But to have the material, they were eight to 12 weeks away.

When Obama started serious negotiations with the Iranians, if the Iranians had made a decision to build a bomb, it would take them eight to 12 weeks to have the material for a bomb, the fissile material. It doesn't mean that they would have a bomb. It probably would take them another two years to build a bomb, test the bomb, et cetera. But to have the material, they were eight to 12 weeks away.

When Obama started serious negotiations with the Iranians, if the Iranians had made a decision to build a bomb, it would take them eight to 12 weeks to have the material for a bomb, the fissile material. It doesn't mean that they would have a bomb. It probably would take them another two years to build a bomb, test the bomb, et cetera. But to have the material, they were eight to 12 weeks away.

As a result of the JCPOA, they would always be a minimum of 12 months away from having the material for a bomb. So he pushed the breakout time from eight to 12 weeks to 12 months. Today,

As a result of the JCPOA, they would always be a minimum of 12 months away from having the material for a bomb. So he pushed the breakout time from eight to 12 weeks to 12 months. Today,

As a result of the JCPOA, they would always be a minimum of 12 months away from having the material for a bomb. So he pushed the breakout time from eight to 12 weeks to 12 months. Today,

Iran's breakout time is somewhere between three and seven days because of the dramatic progress they've made in their program because Trump walked out of the deal and the Iranians then stopped respecting the restrictions of the deal since the U.S. no longer was in the deal.

Iran's breakout time is somewhere between three and seven days because of the dramatic progress they've made in their program because Trump walked out of the deal and the Iranians then stopped respecting the restrictions of the deal since the U.S. no longer was in the deal.

Iran's breakout time is somewhere between three and seven days because of the dramatic progress they've made in their program because Trump walked out of the deal and the Iranians then stopped respecting the restrictions of the deal since the U.S. no longer was in the deal.

Well, from the Iranian side, they need sanctions relief. Their economy is in a terrible shape. The country's official inflation rate hovers at around 35%, and the local currency, the rial, is on a nosedive.

Well, from the Iranian side, they need sanctions relief. Their economy is in a terrible shape. The country's official inflation rate hovers at around 35%, and the local currency, the rial, is on a nosedive.

Well, from the Iranian side, they need sanctions relief. Their economy is in a terrible shape. The country's official inflation rate hovers at around 35%, and the local currency, the rial, is on a nosedive.

I don't think we're in a situation in which the regime is fearing regime collapse necessarily because Iran's economy has been in a bad shape for quite some time. It's a tremendously unpopular regime. But those are not sufficient ingredients in order to get a revolution. There needs to be a credible opposition. There needs to be political organization, leadership. None of those things exist.

I don't think we're in a situation in which the regime is fearing regime collapse necessarily because Iran's economy has been in a bad shape for quite some time. It's a tremendously unpopular regime. But those are not sufficient ingredients in order to get a revolution. There needs to be a credible opposition. There needs to be political organization, leadership. None of those things exist.

I don't think we're in a situation in which the regime is fearing regime collapse necessarily because Iran's economy has been in a bad shape for quite some time. It's a tremendously unpopular regime. But those are not sufficient ingredients in order to get a revolution. There needs to be a credible opposition. There needs to be political organization, leadership. None of those things exist.

But nevertheless, the Iranians cannot thrive. They can just survive. And surviving is not enough. If they really want to be able to modernize their country, they need to get sanctions relief from the United States. The rest of the region is advancing way ahead of Iran in that regard. And from the American side, Trump really does not want to get into another war in the Middle East.

But nevertheless, the Iranians cannot thrive. They can just survive. And surviving is not enough. If they really want to be able to modernize their country, they need to get sanctions relief from the United States. The rest of the region is advancing way ahead of Iran in that regard. And from the American side, Trump really does not want to get into another war in the Middle East.

But nevertheless, the Iranians cannot thrive. They can just survive. And surviving is not enough. If they really want to be able to modernize their country, they need to get sanctions relief from the United States. The rest of the region is advancing way ahead of Iran in that regard. And from the American side, Trump really does not want to get into another war in the Middle East.

And if this issue isn't resolved, mindful of how far the Iranians advanced their program, this is going to lead to some sort of a military confrontation. And Trump also wants to leave the Middle East militarily. He doesn't want to have 50,000 troops there. And a key factor that has kept the U.S. in the region is the enmity between the United States and Iran.