Trump: Iran deal decision coming ‘very shortly’

by Jordan Fabian - 10/05/17 7:11 PM ET

President Trump said Thursday evening he is close to announcing his decision on whether to decertify the Iran nuclear agreement.

“You’ll be hearing about Iran very shortly,” Trump said when asked by reporters if he will certify or decertify the Obama-era agreement.

Trump reiterated his belief that Tehran is not living up to the “spirit” of the deal that it agreed to with the U.S. and five other world powers.

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“We must not allow Iran … to obtain nuclear weapons,” the president said during a meeting with military leaders.

“The Iranian regime supports terrorism and exports violence, bloodshed and chaos across the Middle East,” he continued. “That is why we must put an end to Iran’s continued aggression and nuclear ambitions. They have not lived up to the spirit of their agreement.”

Trump faces an Oct. 15 deadline to certify whether Iran is abiding by the terms of the agreement, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which imposes restrictions on its nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief.

The president has repeatedly railed against the pact, calling it “the worst deal I’ve ever seen.” But the deal has sparked a heated debate inside the administration, with some senior officials arguing he should certify it in the interest of avoiding a new spat with Tehran.

Multiple news reports Thursday indicated the president does plan to decertify the deal, which would trigger a congressional review over whether to reimpose nuclear sanctions. Such a move would stop short of scrapping the deal entirely.

Tags Anti-nuclear movement Iran Iran deal Iran nuclear deal JCPOA