Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on ABC News that there may not be a nuclear agreement with Iran, and instead, the US is degrading Iran's ability to produce nuclear weapons through its bombing campaign. According to Wright, Iran's capacity to develop nuclear weapons has been significantly degraded over 47 years of effort. The administration's goal, as stated by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier in the week, is to "economically asphyxiate" Iran to force them to the table for a deal, although President Trump has expressed skepticism about reaching an agreement. Wright said that the US blockade of Iranian ports could either change the regime or its policies regarding nuclear weapons.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Here are the articles with a summary of each:
Article 1: Trump Announces "Crushing Economic Operation" on Iran
President Trump announced a "crushing economic operation" on Iran, which he said would amount to "economic warfare." The move comes as tensions between the US and Iran remain high.
Article 2: Trump Contradicts Vance, Says Nukes, Not Oil Prices, No. 1 Priority in Iran
President Trump contradicted Vice President JD Vance's statement that keeping oil prices down was a top priority for the administration. Trump said that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is the "number one goal."
Article 3: US Businessowners Don't Want to Leave Their Canadian Suppliers, but 50% Tariffs Might Leave Them No Choice
US business owners are worried about the impact of 50% tariffs on their relationships with Canadian suppliers. They say they would have to choose between breaking away from long-standing relationships or risking significant financial losses.
Article 4: 'Owners Are Afraid': New Tariffs Could Cut Sales in Half for Some Canadian Businesses
Canadian businesses are bracing themselves for the impact of new US tariffs, which could cut sales in half. Business owners say they will have to reconsider their supply chains and potentially abandon long-standing relationships with Canadian suppliers.
Article 5: Trump Announces Economic Sanctions on Iran
President Trump announced economic sanctions on Iran, including a ban on buying Iranian oil and freezing the country's assets.
Article 6: Iran Shifts from Retaliation to Offense in War with US
Iran's military has begun signaling a shift from retaliation to offense in its war with the US. Analysts say this could reflect Tehran's belief that it holds leverage to advance its demands and break the stalemate.
Article 7: Trump Says Negotiations with Iran "Is Like Chess"
President Trump said negotiations with Iran are like chess, implying that the process is complex and requires careful strategy.
Article 8: US Imposes New Sanctions on Iran's Financial Sector
The US imposed new sanctions on Iran's financial sector, targeting key institutions and individuals involved in the country's banking system.
Note: Some of these articles may be related to each other, but I have tried to provide a summary of each one separately.
Written for “US-Iran Trade Conflict Escalation” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 315 other(s) covering the same event.
Energy Secretary says 'there may not be' a nuclear agreement with Iran
President Trump said last week he "could not care less" if Iran struck a deal.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that a nuclear agreement with Iran, long sought by President Donald Trump, may not come to fruition after months of war with the country.
"
uncertain
agreement → say → country
It may be simply destroying their capabilities to do it.
uncertain
It → destroy → it
An agreement may await a next administration in Iran.
uncertain
agreement → await → Iran
We simply don't know that," Wright told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz when asked about signs of a possible nuclear deal.
asserted
Wright → know → deal
Asked how the U.S. plans to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon without an agreement, Wright said that the U.S. had crippled the country's ability to produce one through its bombing campaign.
asserted
U.S. → ask → campaign
"We are degrading their capacity to develop nuclear weapons and ultimately to deliver them, if they develop them," he said.
asserted
he → degrade → them
This is not trivial, but the United States will get the job done, and we will work in cooperation with our allies in the region.
asserted
we → get → region
Last month, Trump similarly suggested that a deal he deems sufficient with Iran might not happen, in spite of the fact that securing a nuclear agreement with Iran was initially one of the administration's main objectives.
uncertain
securing → suggest → objectives
"They want to make a deal, but they're not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary," Trump told reporters in August.
asserted
Trump → want → August
"Look, we're in there for one reason -- Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
asserted
Iran → look → weapon
You understand that -- Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they won't have a nuclear weapon.
asserted
they → understand → weapon
And right now, them building one after what we did previously with the B-2 bombers, it's going to be a long time," he added.
asserted
he → build → bombers
The president reiterated that sentiment last Tuesday, declaring on social media that he "could not care less" if Iran struck a deal with the U.S. -- even as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier the same day that the administration's goal was to "economically asphyxiate" Iran to force them to the table.
uncertain
goal → reiterate → table
Wright's comments come as hostilities between the U.S. and Iran appeared to ramp up again, even as the president declared the war to be "small potatoes" on Friday.
asserted
war → come → Friday
On Saturday, the U.S. struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iran targeted two U.S. Navy warships.
asserted
Iran → strike → warships
Tehran then claimed to have launched retaliatory strikes on three U.S.-affiliated vessels and three oil tankers.
asserted
Tehran → claim → vessels
"Look, it's a challenge.
asserted
it → look → ?
Iran is doing everything they can to cling on to something," Wright said Sunday when pressed on the president's characterization of the conflict.
asserted
Wright → do → conflict
"They know their nuclear program is coming to an end, their navy's come to an end, their air force has come to an end.
asserted
force → know → end
They're clinging on to power as the United States continues to escalate the volume of oil that transits through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
asserted
he → cling → Hormuz
Wright later added that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would "either change their regime or it'll change their regime's policies."
asserted
it → add → policies
You said that Monday we broke a wartime record with 17 million barrels a day passing through.
asserted
we → say → barrels
Have we sustained that this week?
asserted
we → sustain → that
So it continues to migrate up.
asserted
it → continue → ?
And when you add those together, the flow through the -- out of that region is more like 13, 14 million barrels a day.
asserted
flow → add → barrels
On when Americans can expect gas prices to decrease:
asserted
prices → expect → ?
Well, if you look at the futures prices, you wanted to buy today in bulk gasoline for two months out in November, it's about 35 cents cheaper than it is today.
asserted
it → look → November
So the marketplace thinks gasoline prices are going to move meaningfully lower.
asserted
prices → think → ?
So trust the market, certainly don't trust my predictions, but we're doing everything we can to grow the production of gasoline as we pass Labor Day tomorrow, you'll start to see demand decline as we move out of summer driving season.
asserted
we → trust → season
On the U.S. deal with Venezuela:
WRIGHT: We have a lot of leverage over Venezuela.
asserted
We → have → Venezuela
We control the sale of oil outside of their country.
asserted
We → control → country
So right now they are forced to work in partnership with us, and they are working in partnership with us.
asserted
they → force → us
It's drawing billions of dollars in investment, and it's transforming that region from a region of conflict to a region of commerce.
asserted
it → draw → commerce
I think the momentum going [in] that direction, whoever is ruling Venezuela, is quite strong.
asserted
whoever → think → Venezuela
