Trump announces US withdrawal from 'defective' Iran deal

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States was withdrawing from what he called a "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, adding that Washington would, however, reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic.

"The Iran deal is defective at its core," Trump said in a televised address from the White House. "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal."

He called Tehran the world's leading state sponsor of terror and decried its influence in the Middle East.

The US president claimed to have proof that Iran had lied about the deal adding that his country had failed to hold Iran's nuclear ambitions. 

"Iran nuclear deal doesn't constrain Iran's destabilising activities, including support for terrorism," he said. "The deal has inadequate mechanisms to prevent cheating."

He further said the deal was supposed to protect the US and its allies, but it allowed Iran to continue to enrich uranium.

"No action taken by Iran has been more dangerous than its pursuit of nuclear weapons." 

Accusing Iran of supporting state terrorism, Trump said the country had caused havoc across the Middle East and beyond. 

"If I allow this deal, everyone will want nuclear arms," said Trump. "It will be a nuclear arms race."  

A senior US official had earlier said it was unclear if efforts by European allies to address Trump’s concerns would be enough to save the pact.

Trump had repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the deal, which eased economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program unless France, Germany, and Britain — which also signed the agreement — fix what he has called its flaws.

Iran has ruled out renegotiating the accord and threatened to retaliate, although it has not said exactly how, if Washington pulls out.

France, Germany, Britain 'regret' Trump's decision 

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France, Germany and Britain regretted US President Donald Trump´s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"France, Germany, and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA (Iran deal). The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake," he wrote on Twitter.

"We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity, and stability in the Middle-East, notably Syria, Yemen, and Iraq," he added.

Netanyahu says 'fully supports' Trump's decision 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his strong support for US President Donald Trump's "bold" decision Tuesday to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, which the Israeli leader has repeatedly criticised.

"Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal," Netanyahu said in a televised address, referring to the multinational accord with his country's main enemy.