CIA Chief Warns Trump Iran May Not Honor Nuclear Deal

A sharp dispute has emerged inside the Trump administration over the emerging deal with Iran. In a report published overnight Monday by Barak Ravid, CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned President Donald Trump that recently collected intelligence raises serious doubts about Iran’s willingness to meet the obligations it would be asked to accept in a future nuclear agreement.

According to the report, assessments presented at the highest levels in Washington point to a gap between the messages Iranian officials send to the United States and mediators, and the internal debate taking place in Tehran. People familiar with the matter said some U.S. intelligence bodies believe the Iranians do not intend to make all the concessions Washington is demanding in a permanent deal. “The intelligence reflects that Iran’s intentions are not consistent with its commitments under the agreement,” one informed source said.

Ratcliffe is not the only skeptic. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also voiced reservations in internal discussions. By contrast, Vice President J.D. Vance and the American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are considered the main supporters of pushing the deal forward.

The White House is trying to project calm. A senior official said Trump is hearing all sides but will make the final decision himself. The understandings reached so far, the official said, are meant to ensure Iran cannot obtain nuclear weapons, retain highly enriched uranium, or threaten international trade routes.

Negotiations are expected to intensify in the coming days. Vance, Witkoff and Kushner are due to meet this weekend with Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The talks are expected to focus on the future of the negotiations and a more detailed agreement that could be signed in the coming months if the remaining gaps are bridged. U.S. officials say the next two to three weeks will be critical in determining whether Iran is ready for meaningful concessions or is simply buying time while seeking political and economic gains without changing its nuclear program.