U.S. News & World Report- The U.S. military assessment follows President Donald Trump�s apparently reluctant confirmation that the nuclear deal is working.

An international agreement brokered by the Obama administration has so far succeeded in preventing�Iran�from obtaining a nuclear weapon, the U.S. military's second-most senior general said Tuesday, less than a day after President Donald Trump's White House decided to�recertify the deal�that he routinely blasted on the campaign trail.


"Based on the evidence that's been presented to the intelligence community, it appears that Iran is in compliance with the rules that were laid out in the JCPOA," Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told members of Congress, referring to�Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the 2015 agreement agreed to by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council as well as Germany, the EU and Iran.




"Without the controls of the JCPOA, Iran has the technical expertise to be able to continue down the path to the development of nuclear weapons," Selva said. He added the U.S. is "reasonably confident" in the ability of international inspectors to have access randomly to Iranian sites suspected of nuclear weapons activity, and in technical measures that can surveil them remotely and constantly.




Selva, whose position was up for reconfirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee, faced questions from committee member Ted Cruz, one of the most vocal critics of the Iran deal who appeared disappointed in the White House's Monday decision. The Texas Republican repeated claims the White House made to reporters Monday evening in announcing that Iran remains in compliance but has violated the spirit of the agreement, particularly in its recent�ballistic missile tests.




White House officials speaking anonymously with reporters Monday evening said they are considering additional sanctions against Iran. Iranian officials�have responded�to these reports by saying any additional sanctions will result in its elite Quds Force targeting U.S. forces operating in Iraq.



"The provisions that allow for sanctions outside of the agreement continue to be in place," Selva said, referring to sanctions against the Iranian economy as well as its leaders suspected of involvement in its weapons programs.




Cruz called the Iran deal "unfortunate, and dangerous," and "wholly inaccurate." He said the inspection regime is designed to allow cheating.




Trump has repeatedly called the agreement "the worst deal ever" and pledged in November to rip it up after taking office.




By law, the agreement calls on the State Department to notify Congress every 90 days whether Iran remains in compliance with the deal. Trump had to make a decision about Iran's compliance by Monday.




Senior White House officials reportedly are split over whether to tear up the signature achievement of the Obama administration and then-Secretary of State John Kerry. Both Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson believe Iran "remains one of the most dangerous threats to U.S. interests and to regional stability," according to the White House officials who spoke anonymously.