BREAKING: Pres. Trump withdraws the U.S. from ‘disastrous’ Iran nuclear deal
President Donald Trump is following through on his campaign threat and withdrawing the U.S. from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran which he called “disastrous.”
Trump made the announcement Tuesday afternoon.
“Powerful sanctions will go into effect,” the president announced.
It wasn’t immediately clear which sanctions lifted under the deal that Trump plans to immediately re-impose.
The president has long criticized the 2015 agreement, which lifted most U.S. and international sanctions against the country. In return, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program making it impossible to produce a bomb, along with rigorous inspections.
“This was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, never been made,” said Trump. “It didn’t bring calm, didn’t bring peace and it never will.”
The decision deals a profound blow to some of America’s closest allies – including Britain, France and Germany, who joined the U.S. only three years ago to sign the deal.
“If I allow this deal to stand, there will be a nuclear’s weapon race,” the president said.
Trump’s decision means Iran’s government must now decide whether to follow the U.S. and withdraw or try to salvage what’s left of the deal. Iran has offered conflicting statements about what it may do – and the answer may depend on exactly how Trump exits the agreement.
If the deal collapses, Iran would be free to resume prohibited enrichment activities, while businesses and banks doing business with Iran would have to scramble to extricate themselves or run afoul of the U.S. American officials were dusting off plans for how to sell a pullout to the public and explain its complex financial ramifications, said U.S. officials and others, who weren’t authorized to speak ahead of an announcement and requested anonymity.
Trump says America “will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail” and will not allow “a regime that chants ‘Death to America'” to get access to nuclear weapons.
“There has been enough suffering, death and destruction. Let it end now,” he said.
