President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018, labeling it a bad bargain. The move triggered a swift Iranian enrichment push that has kept negotiations tense. Now, as talks resume in Pakistan, Trump must confront the fallout of abandoning a pact that many advisers warned against.

Iran has amassed 11 tons of enriched uranium—enough, with further purification, to produce up to 100 weapons, surpassing Israel’s arsenal. After the U.S. withdrawal, Tehran accelerated enrichment, positioning missile launchers near U.S. and Israeli forces in February. The 970‑pound stockpile in a tunnel, bombed last June, represents only a fraction of the broader 11‑ton cache.

The decision to exit the agreement has exposed U.S. investors to heightened geopolitical risk in Middle Eastern energy markets. Oil prices have already spiked amid fears of supply disruptions. Companies with exposure to Iranian oil and gas assets face renewed scrutiny, while U.S. defense contractors anticipate increased demand for missile defense systems as tensions rise.

International inspectors report Iran holds 11 tons at various enrichment levels, a figure that grew after Trump’s 2018 exit. Washington’s strategy now hinges on balancing diplomatic pressure with economic sanctions. Investors watch closely as the U.S. government negotiates new sanctions schedules, which could reshape global oil supply chains and affect multinational energy firms.