India, March 25 -- US President Donald Trump surprised reporters this week by asserting that Iran has agreed it will "never have a nuclear weapon," portraying it as a breakthrough in diplomatic communication amid a fierce conflict in West Asia. Trump spoke optimistically about backchannel discussions with Tehran, but Iran has publicly denied that any formal negotiations have taken place, leaving many questions about the claim's accuracy and context.

At a press briefing, Trump insisted his message to Iran's leadership was clear: "The fact that they are talking to us and they are talking sense. It all starts with: they cannot have a nuclear weapon. They have agreed that they will never have a nuclear weapon."

The president emphasised that...