Trump's Iran Missile U-Turn: From 'Dismantle Missile Programme' To 'It's Okay To Have Some Ballistic Missiles'

New Delhi: U.S. President Donald Trump has significantly softened his position on Iran’s ballistic missile programme, signalling a major shift from the sweeping demands his administration made at the beginning of negotiations with Tehran.

Speaking to reporters in Paris after the signing of the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Trump said Iran could retain “some” ballistic missiles, arguing it would be unfair if neighbouring countries possessed such weapons while Tehran was denied them.

“If other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some… If Saudi Arabia and Qatar have some, I would say in relative proportion, I think it’s okay,” Trump said, adding that ballistic missiles were different from nuclear weapons.

The remarks mark a clear departure from the Trump administration’s earlier position.

At the outset of the conflict and throughout negotiations, the White House had insisted that Iran must end its ballistic missile programme along with permanently abandoning any path to a nuclear weapon. Washington also demanded that Tehran halt support for regional proxy groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, portraying all three as non-negotiable objectives for any lasting agreement.

Trump himself repeatedly described Iran’s expanding missile arsenal as a growing threat to U.S. forces and allies, warning that the programme had to be curtailed as part of a comprehensive settlement.

With the ceasefire agreement now in place, Trump has narrowed Washington’s priority almost exclusively to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

He said conventional ballistic missiles should not be treated the same as nuclear arms and suggested Iran could retain a limited missile capability if it remained proportionate to other countries in the region.

Trump also downplayed the importance of addressing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, saying ensuring Tehran does not obtain a nuclear weapon is “much more important” than immediately resolving every aspect of its nuclear infrastructure.

The shift in Trump’s rhetoric mirrors the contents of the newly signed MoU.

While the administration initially sought to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile arsenal and regional proxy network, the final agreement focuses primarily on Iran’s commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons. 

Issues such as ballistic missiles, proxy groups and Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium have largely been deferred to follow-up negotiations rather than being settled in the initial accord.

On Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, Trump downplayed its significance, saying preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was far more important than securing existing nuclear material.

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