In a series of sweeping phone interviews and press exchanges on Friday, April 17, President Donald J. Trump declared that Iran has agreed to an “unlimited suspension” of its nuclear program and will cooperate with the United States to remove its entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium — what the President colorfully described as “nuclear dust” — from Iranian soil with no money exchanged and no foreign troops deployed.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Phoenix for a Turning Point USA “Build the Red Wall” event at Dream City Church, Trump delivered what amounts to his most comprehensive public account yet of where negotiations with Tehran stand — and the terms remain stark: sign a deal, or the bombs come back.

The Strait of Hormuz: Open for Business, Blockade Still in Force

Iran announced Friday that the Strait of Hormuz — the critical waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply transits — is fully open after weeks of conflict and a fragile ceasefire. Trump welcomed the news but made emphatically clear that the U.S. naval blockade remains operational and will not be lifted until a final agreement is signed and complete.

“IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that the U.S. blockade applies specifically to Iran and will persist until “our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.” He further confirmed that Iran has agreed to never close the Strait again and is actively removing sea mines with American assistance.

“Nuclear Dust” — And What Happens If Iran Refuses

Perhaps the most consequential disclosure of the day concerned the fate of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump described a plan in which the United States and Iran would work jointly to remove 100% of the material, transporting it to the United States:

“We’ll go in with Iran and we will take it together, and we will bring it back — 100% of it — back to the United States… If we don’t do that, we will get it in a different form, in a much more unfriendly form. But in any event, we’ll get it.”

The warning — that the U.S. would retrieve the uranium either cooperatively or by force — underscores the administration’s determination not to leave a nuclear-capable Iran in place. Trump reiterated at his Phoenix rally that “the U.S.A. will get all Nuclear ‘Dust,’ created by our great B2 Bombers — No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form.”

Timeline: Deal in “the Next Day or Two”

In a brief interview with Axios, Trump said Iranian negotiators are eager to meet and that he expects talks — possibly this weekend — to produce a deal within 48 hours. “The Iranians want to meet. They want to make a deal. I think a meeting will probably take place over the weekend. I think we will get a deal in the next day or two,” he said.

To Agence France-Presse, Trump was similarly optimistic: “We’re very close. Looks like it’s going to be very good for everybody. And we’re very close to having a deal… most of the points are already negotiated and agreed to.”

However, Trump left the door open to resumed strikes if no deal materializes by Wednesday: “Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. So you have a blockade, and unfortunately we have to start dropping bombs again.”

China, NATO, and America First

Trump noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed satisfaction with the Strait reopening — noting that Beijing, a major consumer of Gulf oil, stands to benefit enormously from restored shipping lanes. The President also dismissed a late-stage offer of assistance from NATO, saying he would have welcomed help “two months ago” but no longer needed it, reinforcing his America First doctrine that the United States solved this crisis unilaterally.

When asked about tolls or transit restrictions on the Strait, Trump was blunt: “Nope. No way… No, there are not going to be tolls.”

Iranian Pushback and the Road Ahead

Iranian officials contested several of Trump’s specific characterizations — including his claims about the enriched uranium transfer — calling some assertions “all lies.” The diplomatic friction between Trump’s triumphant framing and Tehran’s denials mirrors patterns from earlier rounds of negotiations, yet the practical reality — the Strait is open, mines are being cleared, and talks are actively progressing — suggests real momentum toward a resolution.

As of April 18, 2026, no full transcripts of the April 17 interviews have been released by the White House, though clips and quotes circulated widely across major networks. The administration’s posture remains consistent: peace is possible, but only on American terms.

For believers watching these events, the stakes could scarcely be higher. A nuclear Iran would represent an existential threat not only to Israel and the broader Middle East but to the international order undergirding global religious liberty and freedom. That President Trump is pressing for a full, verified, permanent end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions — while keeping maximum pressure in place — is a development that Faith & Freedom News will continue to monitor with diligence and prayer.

Faith & Freedom News | fandfnews.com | This report is based on contemporaneous reporting from Bloomberg News, Axios, CBS News, AFP, and pool reporters aboard Air Force One. No full White House transcripts have been released as of publication. Iranian government denials have been noted where applicable. FFN will provide updates as the situation develops.