Trump pulls U.S. out of 'disastrous' Iran nuclear deal, will restore sanctions
European allies made last-ditch attempts to convince U.S. president to preserve agreement
The Associated Press · Posted: May 08, 2018 11:37 AM ET | Last Updated: 16 minutes ago
President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the Iran nuclear deal from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Tuesday. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the U.S. will pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, dealing a profound blow to U.S. allies and potentially deepening the president's isolation on the world stage.
"The United States does not make empty threats," he said from the White House in a televised address.
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.
An Iranian woman walks past a mural on the wall of the former U.S. Embassy in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Tuesday. (Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images)
Trump said he would move to reimpose all sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the 2015 deal, not just the ones facing an immediate deadline. This had become known informally as the "nuclear option" because of the near certainty that such a move would scuttle the deal.
"At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction. That a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program," Trump said. "Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie."
He cited intelligence documents published last week by Israel, saying those documents "conclusively" showed Iran's "history of pursuing nuclear weapons. The fact is, this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made."
"It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace and it never will."
Supporters of fixing the agreement had hoped Trump would choose a piecemeal approach that could leave more room for him to reverse himself and stay in the deal if he could secure the additional restrictions that European nations tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with him.
Still, the administration planned to allow a grace period of at least three months and possibly up to six months so that businesses and governments can wind down operations that will violate the reimposed U.S. sanctions.
A slower withdrawal process could allow more room for Trump to reverse course later and decide to stay — if he secures the additional restrictions on Iran that European nations tried unsuccessfully to negotiate to prevent him from withdrawing.
Indeed, as administration officials briefed congressional leaders about Trump's plans Tuesday, they emphasized that just as with a major Asia trade deal and the Paris climate pact that Trump has abandoned, he remains open to renegotiating a better deal, one person briefed on the talks said.
Trump has lambasted the 2015 agreement, which was implemented under former president Barack Obama, since his days as a presidential candidate.
Before Trump's address on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had urged Trump not to pull the U.S. out of the agreement, saying that an Iran with nuclear weapons poses risks to the world.
European allies made last-ditch attempts to convince U.S. president to preserve agreement
The Associated Press · Posted: May 08, 2018 11:37 AM ET | Last Updated: 16 minutes ago
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the U.S. will pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, dealing a profound blow to U.S. allies and potentially deepening the president's isolation on the world stage.
"The United States does not make empty threats," he said from the White House in a televised address.
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.
Trump said he would move to reimpose all sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the 2015 deal, not just the ones facing an immediate deadline. This had become known informally as the "nuclear option" because of the near certainty that such a move would scuttle the deal.
"At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction. That a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program," Trump said. "Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie."
He cited intelligence documents published last week by Israel, saying those documents "conclusively" showed Iran's "history of pursuing nuclear weapons. The fact is, this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made."
"It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace and it never will."
Supporters of fixing the agreement had hoped Trump would choose a piecemeal approach that could leave more room for him to reverse himself and stay in the deal if he could secure the additional restrictions that European nations tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with him.
Still, the administration planned to allow a grace period of at least three months and possibly up to six months so that businesses and governments can wind down operations that will violate the reimposed U.S. sanctions.
A slower withdrawal process could allow more room for Trump to reverse course later and decide to stay — if he secures the additional restrictions on Iran that European nations tried unsuccessfully to negotiate to prevent him from withdrawing.
Indeed, as administration officials briefed congressional leaders about Trump's plans Tuesday, they emphasized that just as with a major Asia trade deal and the Paris climate pact that Trump has abandoned, he remains open to renegotiating a better deal, one person briefed on the talks said.
Trump has lambasted the 2015 agreement, which was implemented under former president Barack Obama, since his days as a presidential candidate.
Before Trump's address on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had urged Trump not to pull the U.S. out of the agreement, saying that an Iran with nuclear weapons poses risks to the world.
