Washington, DC (US), April 21, 2026, BNN Web Staff:The White House has defended President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran, claiming that a new nuclear agreement with Tehran is “very close” and would mark a significant diplomatic breakthrough.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaking to Fox News, said the current negotiations represent the strongest progress toward a deal in years, crediting Trump’s leadership and rejecting comparisons with the 2015 nuclear agreement.
“The United States has never been closer to a good deal with Iran, unlike the horrible deal made by the Obama Administration, thanks to President Donald Trump’s negotiating ability,” Leavitt said.
She also dismissed criticism of the administration’s aggressive diplomatic posture, arguing that the strategy is deliberate and aimed at long-term stability.
Defending the President’s approach, she suggested critics were failing to understand the broader strategy.
“Anyone who cannot see President Trump’s tactics to play the long game is either stupid or willfully ignorant,” she said during the interview.
President Trump has repeatedly claimed that the emerging agreement would significantly outperform the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which he has long criticised as weak and ineffective.
He has argued that the earlier deal enabled nuclear escalation risks, while insisting his administration’s version will permanently block Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
In recent statements, Trump has also renewed criticism of former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, accusing them of enabling what he called a flawed and dangerous framework.
He has further claimed that the previous agreement involved large financial transfers to Iran and weakened US strategic leverage in the region.
Trump has maintained that his withdrawal from the JCPOA prevented further security risks and said any new deal under his leadership would guarantee stability across the Middle East and beyond.
Despite sharp political debate over the negotiations, the White House continues to project confidence that a final agreement is within reach.
