Trump Plans To Decertify Iran Deal, Putting Pressure On Congress
President Trump delivering address to a joint session of Congress Image by Getty Images
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Trump is expected to announce soon that he will decertify the landmark international deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program, a senior administration official said on Thursday, in a step that could lead to renewed U.S. sanctions against Tehran.
The decision on the nuclear deal is expected to be only part of what Trump will announce, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said Trump is also expected to roll out a broader U.S. strategy on Iran that would be more confrontational. The Trump administration has frequently criticized Iran’s conduct in the Middle East.
If Trump declines to certify Iran’s compliance with the accord, U.S. congressional leaders would have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran suspended under the agreement.
In April, the administration said it would review whether the lifting of sanctions against Iran was in the U.S. national security interest. Trump is weighing a strategy that could allow more aggressive U.S. responses to Iran’s forces, its Shi‘ite Muslim proxies in Iraq and Syria and its support for militant groups.
Supporters of the deal say its collapse could trigger a regional arms race and worsen Middle East tensions. Opponents say it went too far in easing sanctions without requiring that Iran end its nuclear program permanently.
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