19 Apr 2024
Thursday 12 October 2017 - 15:46
Story Code : 279178

White House readies move on Iran deal

euronews- Sources tell NBC News President Trump will "decertify" the 2015 nuclear deal, but will likely not scrap it entirely as he had threatened on the campaign trail.

US President Donald Trump plans to tell Congress this week that Iran is not complying with the spirit of the 2015 nuclear deal,NBCNews has learned.

Trump has until Sunday to notify Congress whether Iran remains in compliance with the accord under which it limited its atomic program in exchange for sanctions relief.

If he declines tocertify Irans compliance, U.S. congressional leaders would have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran.

Trump is expected to announce his decision on Friday (Oct. 13).

Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump did not discuss specific timing but told reporters: We will be announcing that very shortly.

Multiple US administration, congressional and diplomatic sourcestoldNBCNewshe will refuse to certify the deal, without backing out of it completely.

A nuclear deal that actually works would be good for everybody. This one has serious flaws, said Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican sitting on the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Tough talking

According to the sourcesNBCspoke to, Trumps decision to decertify the Iran deal is part of a larger strategy to crack down on the countrys missile program and support for terrorism.

The White House hopes to convince Congress that Iran is engaging in destabilising activities across the region, from supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to funding and arming Shiite fighters in Iraq and Yemen, and that it should be punished through crippling sanctions.

During his presidential campaign, Trump had called the Iran agreement a deal at the highest level of incompetence and repeatedly promised to scrap it.

Now sources say thats unlikely, and critics expect the president will simply talk tough to satisfy his base.

This is more of a political maneuver than a strategic decision, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Friday onMSNBC.

Still, Trumps decision to decertify faces pushback, even by members of his own administration. Pressed by lawmakers last week, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis responded yes when asked if he thinks the deal is in Americas national security interest.

Last month, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani toldNBCNews in an interview that decertification is tantamount to withdrawing from the agreement, and will have consequences.

No one will trust America again, Rouhani said.
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