Trump chooses not to certify that Iran is complying with nuclear agreement

Today, U.S. President Donald Trump struck a blow against the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in defiance of other world powers, choosing not to certify that Tehran is complying with the deal and warning he might ultimately terminate it.

Trump announced the major shift in U.S. policy in a speech in which he detailed a more aggressive approach to Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its support for extremist groups in the Middle East .

Trump’s speech drew praise from Israel , yet it was criticized by European allies .

The move by Trump was part of his “ America First ” approach to international agreements which has led him to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) with Canada and Mexico .

His Iran strategy angered Tehran and put Washington at odds with other signatories of the accord- Britain , France , Germany , Russia , China and the European Union -some of which have benefited economically from renewed trade with Iran.

European allies have warned of a split with the United States over the nuclear agreement and say that putting it in limbo as Trump has done undermines U.S. credibility abroad, especially as international inspectors say Iran is in compliance with the accord.

The chief of the United Nations atomic watchdog reiterated that Iran was under the world’s “ most robust nuclear verification regime .”

“The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the JCPOA are being implemented,” Yukiya Amano , Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency said, referring to the deal by its formal name.

While Trump did not pull the United States out of the agreement, he gave the U.S. Congress 60 days to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the pact.

If Congress reimposes the sanctions, the United States would in effect be in violation of the terms of the nuclear deal and it would likely fall apart. If lawmakers do nothing, the deal remains in place.

The president, who took office in January, had reluctantly certified the agreement twice before but has repeatedly blasted it as “ the worst deal ever .” It was negotiated under his predecessor, former President Barack Obama .

Trump warned that if “we are not able to reach a solution working with Congress and our allies, then the agreement will be terminated.”

sg