Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Trump dumps Iran nuke deal
Allies’ pleas for restraint fall on deaf ears
DONALD Trump is withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal, calling it “defective to its core”.
It means America will bring back tough economic sanctions which were waived in return for Tehran committing to curb its weapons programme.
Trump accused the country of secretly continuing to develop nuclear bombs – a claim at odds with intelligence chiefs who say there is no evidence for this.
But the president used recent claims from Israel to justify his decision.
It unravels predecessor Barack Obama’s biggest foreign policy achievement and defies allies, including the UK.
Announcing his decision to withdraw yesterday, Trump said the deal was an “embarrassment” that had given a regime of “great terror” billions of dollars.
He continued: “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.
“We can’t prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement. “The Iran deal is defective at its core.” Britain, France and Germany saw the 2015 agreement as the best way to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb. Last night leaders Theresa May, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel released a joint statement expressing “regret” about Trump’s decision. It said: “Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld.”
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani also vowed to stick to the deal, as long as Europe guarantees his country’s interests will be protected.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had urged Trump not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” on Monday.
Mr Johnson also warned the deal’s collapse could set off an arms race in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE also wanting nukes.
He added: “It’s already a very, very dangerous state at the moment.”
Mr Obama described Trump’s move as “misguided”, adding: “The United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nucleararmed Iran or another war in the Middle East.”
REVEALING HIS DECISION YESTERDAY