TRUMP REACHES VERDICT ON IRAN

‘I have decided,’ he says, but gives few details

• “I have decided,” President Donald Trump declared Wednesday, announcing he’d reached a verdict on the Iran nuclear deal’s future even as top U.S. and Iranian officials headed into their highest-level talks of his presidency.

Iran’s leader, meanwhile, lashed out at “ignorant, absurd and hateful rhetoric” in response to Trump’s blistering attack at the UN.

The jabbing between Trump and Iran’s President, Hassan Rouhani, set the stage for a contentious meeting of the nuclear accord’s parties. Trump has sent strong signals that he could walk away from the seven-nation agreement, which would potentially lead to new U.S. sanctions on Iran and its international trading partners. The Iranians, in turn, have threatened to respond to any U.S. pullout by restarting nuclear activities that could take them closer to bomb-making capability.

Asked about his stance on the nuclear pact Wednesday, Trump said he had made a decision. Pressed for details, he replied coyly: “I’ll let you know.”

Shortly afterward, VicePresident Mike Pence told the UN Security Council that Iran “continues to flout the spirit of the Iran deal, destabilizing the region and brazenly threatening the security of sovereign nations,” a toned-down version of the speech delivered by Trump in a General Assembly speech to fellow world leaders Tuesday.

It wasn’t clear if Trump had made a final decision to leave or stick with the Iran deal. He must next certify by Oct. 15 if Iran is complying with the deal, and officials have said the president may use that occasion to declare Iran in violation.

In any event, the U.S.-Iranian exchanges augured poorly for Wednesday’s gathering of diplomats including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. A year ago, such a get-together would have been considered routine as nations strove to implement an agreement that curtailed Iran’s nuclear activity in exchange for an end to various oil, trade and financial restrictions on the country. In the current environment, it is anything but ordinary.

Addressing the General Assembly, Rouhani said his country won’t be the first to violate the nuclear agreement, “but it will respond decisively to its violation by any party.” In a dismissive jab at Trump he said, “It will be a great pity if this agreement were to be destroyed by rogue newcomers to the world of politics.”

“By violating its international commitments, the new U.S. administration only destroys its own credibility and undermines international confidence in negotiating with it or accepting its word or promise,” Rouhani said.

That echoes criticism even some of America’s allies have levelled at a time when the U.S. hopes to draw North Korea into a negotiation over its nuclear arsenal.

Taking aim more specifically at Trump’s speech on Tuesday, Rouhani said: “The ignorant, absurd and hateful rhetoric filled with ridiculously baseless allegations that was uttered before this august body yesterday was not only unfit to be heard at the United Nations, which was established to promote peace and respect.”

Trump’s withering critique in his own speech included an accusation that Iran’s government “masks a corrupt dictatorship behind the false guise of a democracy,” while ruthlessly represses its people.

“It has turned a wealthy country with a rich history and culture into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed and chaos,” Trump said, repeating a litany of oft-spoken U.S. complaints. These include Iran’s antipathy toward Israel, support for terrorism and Syrian President Bashar Assad, ballistic missile testing and its nuclear program.

“We cannot let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building dangerous missiles,” Trump said. “And we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear program.”

Trump has said repeatedly that he is inclined to not certify Iranian compliance with the deal after having twice found the country compliant at earlier deadlines. Denying certification could lead the U.S. to reintroduce sanctions, which in turn could lead Iran to walk away from the deal or restart some nuclear activities it curtailed two years ago.