Former President Barack Obama speaks with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts in an interview at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on June 13, 2026.ABC News
Former President Barack Obama is expressing his views on President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran, recently indicating skepticism that substantial progress will be achieved.
Obama engaged in a conversation with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts on Saturday, a day before Trump’s declaration that the United States and Iran had finalized an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the U.S. naval blockade.
The precise terms of the agreement remain indistinct. A high-ranking administration official informed journalists on Friday that it would lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the “dismantling” of Iran’s nuclear program, with the U.S. obtaining Iran’s highly enriched uranium.
Former President Barack Obama speaks with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts in an interview at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on June 13, 2026.ABC News
This anticipated accord emerges eight years after Trump withdrew the U.S. from a prior nuclear pact with Iran—initiated under the Obama administration in 2015—which Trump characterized at the time of withdrawal as the “worst deal ever.”
In the interview on Saturday, preceding the announcement of the new deal, Obama conveyed to Roberts that he was “doubtful” any agreement concerning Iran put forth by the Trump administration would be “considerably different” from the 2015 accord established by his administration.
“It is uncertain whether any agreement that emerges will be substantially distinct or a significant enhancement compared to the accord we initially had and which functioned effectively for an extended period before we, the United States, withdrew from it,” Obama stated to Roberts during the interview, conducted at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
Catch “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, June 17, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. on ABC for more of Robin Roberts’ conversation with former President Barack Obama.
Obama also voiced his hope for an end to the conflict in the region and urged decision-makers to prioritize dialogue over military engagement.
“I am hopeful that the bombings cease and that ordinary individuals are no longer enduring suffering due to the war,” he elaborated. “Then, in hindsight, it serves as a reminder that concerning many complex foreign policy challenges—the idea that we can simply coerce or bomb our way to resolutions—may occasionally appear attractive, but the reality is that taking the time to explore diplomacy and exhaust avenues for crafting agreements that do not resolve 100% of the issue but address 80%, 90% of it, while averting the necessity of engaging in war.”
“One would think we would have internalized that lesson by now,” he continued. “However, it appears that periodically we must relearn that lesson anew.”
Trump initially declared “major combat operations” against Iran on February 28, involving coordinated U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, governmental, and infrastructure sites.
Following an initial ceasefire and unsuccessful U.S.-Iran discussions in Pakistan in April, negotiations persisted as the ceasefire was prolonged.
Subsequent to Trump’s June 14 announcement via social media that a new pact had been reached, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the agreement’s finalization and stated it would be signed in Switzerland on Friday.
“All of our positions and critical matters are incorporated into the draft understanding,” Gharibabadi remarked in a statement to Iranian state media.
Tune into “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, June 17, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on ABC for more of Robin Roberts’ interview with former President Barack Obama.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com