White House Signs Off Again On Iran Deal — After Angry Trump Nearly Torpedoes It
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The Trump administration once again recertified the Iran nuclear deal, and pledged to strengthen its enforcement — but only after the president threatened not to go along with the plan.
The decision to recertify the deal Monday came after delays caused by President Donald Trump, who said during campaigning for the presidency that the deal, reached in 2015 by the Obama administration, was the worst he had ever seen. The deal must be recertified every 90 days.
Trump advisers, the New York Times reported, persuaded him to recertify because the Iranians were complying with the deal’s restrictions, which have only to do with Iran’s nuclear program. Trump is unhappy that Iran continues apace in its non-nuclear related actions opposed by the United States, including missile testing and interventions in other conflicts, particularly in Yemen and Syria.
In a conference call with reporters on Monday evening, administration officials said they would toughen enforcement of the deal. A similar pledge was made at the last recertification three months ago; it’s not clear what tougher enforcement means, precisely.
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