Talking about nuclear war is no longer a Cold War relic; it’s resurfacing after Trump announced that the U.S. will soon resume regular nuclear weapons tests, a move described as the most symbolic sign of a renewed global arms race.

With the UN Security Council’s approval on September 19, 2025, to reimpose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, urgent questions have arisen about why Tehran has been unable to reach agreements that would prevent the return of these measures.

The European troika, in agreement with the U.S., has set the end of August 2025 as the final deadline to reinstate the snapback mechanism on Iran, unless Tehran shows cooperation with the IAEA and returns to the diplomatic path.

In an interview with Al-Estiklal, former UN spokesperson Abdelhamid Siyam described Iran’s nuclear program as a form of resistance and criticized U.S. involvement in the Israeli war as calculated. He especially blamed the ICC for failing to prosecute Israeli war leaders and stop the genocide in Gaza.

The early end to the Israeli war on Iran, called by Trump himself, appeared to be aimed at helping all parties save face; each side walked away with both gains and setbacks.