President Donald Trump in his speech on Friday about the Iran nuclear agreement, vowed to end the U.S. participation in the landmark nuclear deal unless the Congress and other nations are able to impose much stricter measures targeting Tehran’s missile program, its support for regional militant groups, and any future nuclear activities, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Primarily, Trump did not want to certify to Congress under a U.S. law that Iran is in compliance with the obligations from the nuclear agreement, accusing that the nation had violated the terms of the accord.
“It is under continuous review, and our participation can be canceled by me, as president, at any time,” he said. As a U.S. president, Trump has wide, long-term latitude over the fate of the accord, but lacks the ability under the deal’s complicated terms to immediately abolish it. Trump, reiterating his fierce opposition to the terms of the deal, announced his decision after issuing a lengthy denunciation of what he called a “rogue regime” run by radicals.
“Iran is under the control of a fanatical regime,” Trump said in a speech at the White House, adding it has “spread death, destruction, and chaos all around the globe.”
Detailing grievances against Iran going back to 1979, the year of the country’s Islamic revolution, Trump harshly condemned the country’s rulers. “Iranian aggression continues to this day,” he said. “The regime remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.”
Trump’s move on Friday touches off high-pressure negotiations in Washington and European capitals over the future of the accord, and his action drew intensive world-wide attention. Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani denounced Trump’s comments in a televised speech, saying: “The Iranian people will not bend down before a dictator.”