During an Oct. 24 campaign rally in Cleveland supporting Ohio Democratic candidates Amy Acton for governor and Sherrod Brown for the U.S. Senate, former President Barack Obama sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of Iran, particularly his decision to abandon the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Addressing the ongoing conflict during the event, Obama stated, “The original rationale was we’re going to go in there and get them to give up their nuclear program, their nuclear weapons. Now, the thing was, Iran didn’t have nuclear weapons because I had put a deal in place that everybody acknowledges kept them from getting nukes, and I didn’t have to fire a missile to do it. I just had to engage in diplomacy. He pulled out of it, starts this war.”
Obama’s characterization of the 2015 accord is widely supported by many foreign policy experts.
Preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon had been a core campaign pledge for Obama. The resulting diplomatic pact was forged in 2015 by the United States, Iran, China, Russia, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Under the terms of the agreement, Tehran agreed to halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons and submit to rigorous, continuous international oversight in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. While various provisions were set to expire between 10 and 25 years—with some permanent restrictions—Obama’s administration anticipated that the framework would pave the way for future negotiations.
Specifically, Iran committed to surrendering 97% of its enriched uranium reserves and 70% of its uranium-enriching centrifuges. It also agreed to halt plutonium production and dismantle a key reactor. A built-in “snapback” mechanism allowed all participating nations to automatically reinstate sanctions if Tehran violated any of its commitments.
Throughout the 28 months that the agreement remained active, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran adhered to the terms, noting only minor, promptly resolved infractions.
The U.S. withdrew from the accord under Trump in 2018, subsequently re-imposing harsh economic sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran began rolling back its compliance, including restricting access for international monitors.
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