By
Zak Hudak,
Natalie McCormick, Maria Sullivan, Gabriella Biello
June 18, 2026 / 6:47 PM EDT
/ CBS News
Trump's goals for the Iran war and what he's saying now
When the U.S.-Iran conflict began, President Trump laid out a litany of aggressive war aims. Here's what the president and his top aides said then — and how their views have changed.
TL;DRAI
Trump softened Iran war aims via ceasefire MOU: permits ballistic missiles, defers uranium recovery, no regime change—vs. February's maximalism. 60-day nuclear talks begin. Pragmatism de-risks Middle East energy supply and IT supply-chain partnerships in the region.
1,699 words~8 min read
