Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı
26 June 2025•Update: 26 June 2025
HAMILTON, Canada
US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Wednesday that the United States and Israel achieved their objectives in recent strikes on Iran, and a ceasefire is now in place.
"We achieved our objectives in that period of time, as did Israel. And the president (Donald Trump) called up the Israelis and called up the Iranians, and we have a ceasefire that did not turn this thing into an endless war," Witkoff told CNBC.
He said the strikes were decisive and that the US "achieved everything that we wanted to achieve here, and there's no more need for the conflict to keep on going."
He added that the US is now "hopeful for a comprehensive peace agreement," saying: "We're having conversations with the Iranians. There are multiple interlocutors who are reaching out to us, and I think that they're ready. That's my strong sense."
Noting that the US is also working to expand the Abraham Accords, Witkoff said: "We think we're going to have some pretty big announcements on countries that are now coming into the Abraham Peace Accords."
During US President Donald Trump's first term from 2017 to 2021, several US-sponsored agreements were signed to normalize relations between Israel. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt and Jordan also have established diplomatic relations with Israel after signing peace treaties.
On Iran's nuclear program, Witkoff was firm: "Enrichment is the red line. And beyond enrichment, weaponization is the red line."
He rejected media claims that Iran's program was only set back by months, saying: "Our CIA thinks the opposite. The Israelis did plenty of damage before we came in, and when we came in, it added…lots of certainty around eradication of their ability to weaponize and to enrich."
He described extensive damage to the Natanz, Fordo and Isfahan nuclear sites, saying “that's been eradicated, and much of the enrichment potential has been eradicated."
Peace talks, he added, are now focused on "how do we rebuild a better civil nuclear program for you that is non-enrichable?"
Israel launched attacks on Iran beginning June 13, striking military, nuclear and civilian sites and assassinating Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists. The assault lasted 12 days and killed at least 606 people while injuring 5,332.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli intelligence and military facilities with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least 28 people and wounding 3,238, Iranian state media reported.
The US then struck Iranian nuclear sites, claiming it had “ended” Tehran’s nuclear program. In response, Tehran bombed the American Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The US announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 24.
