'Didn't Have To Fire A Missile Or Shut Hormuz': Obama On How He Secured 2015 Iran Deal

Last Updated:May 14, 2026, 18:33 IST

Obama said the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was achieved through diplomacy without military action, and was backed by US and Israeli intelligence.

Former US President Barack Obama has said his administration secured the 2015 Iran nuclear deal through diplomacy, stressing that the agreement was reached without military escalation, missile strikes or shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.

Appearing on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert‘, Obama reflected on the negotiations that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), calling it as a carefully structured diplomatic effort aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

“We pulled it off without firing a missile," Obama said, adding that the process ensured Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was significantly reduced while maintaining strict international monitoring mechanisms.

To support his claim, the former president also said that intelligence assessments at the time supported the effectiveness of the deal. “Well, not only did I think it was working, even Israeli intelligence thought it was working. Even our intelligence services thought it was working."

Obama further added that the agreement avoided a major regional conflict. “We didn’t have to kill a whole bunch of people or shut down the Strait of Hormuz," he said, referring to the key global oil shipping route that has remained closed since the war in Iran began more than two months ago after the US and Israel carried out joint military strikes against it.

What 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal Was About?

The JCPOA, finalised in 2015 between Iran and six world powers — the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China — was designed to curb Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

Under the agreement, Iran agreed to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium by nearly 98 per cent and accept strict limits on enrichment levels. It also allowed international inspectors access to its nuclear facilities to ensure compliance and verification.

The JCPOA remained in force until 2018, when the US under President Donald Trump’s first term withdrew from the agreement, calling it “a horrible, one-sided deal".

News world 'Didn't Have To Fire A Missile Or Shut Hormuz': Obama On How He Secured 2015 Iran Deal

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