Trump confirms the US will withdraw from nuclear deal

US president says deal ‘should never have been made’

President Donald Trump has announced the US is pulling out of the landmark international nuclear accord with Iran.

“The United States does not make empty threats,” he said in a televised address from the White House.

Mr Trump said the 2015 agreement, which included Germany, France and Britain, was a “horrible one-sided deal that should never ever have been made”.

He added that the United States “will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction”.

Mr Trump’s decision means Iran’s government must now decide whether to follow the US and withdraw or try to salvage what remains of the deal.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he was sending his foreign minister to the countries remaining in the accord but warned there was only a short time to negotiate with them and his country could soon “start enriching uranium more than before”.

The leaders of Britain, Germany and France immediately urged the US not to take any actions that could prevent them and Iran from continuing to implement the agreement.

The statement from Prime Minister Theresa May, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron also urged Iran to “show restraint” and continue fulfilling its own obligations such as cooperating with inspections.

In Washington, the Trump adminis- tration said it would reimpose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity.

The Treasury Department said there will be “certain 90-day and 180-day wind-down periods” but did not specify which sanctions would fall under which timelines.

The Treasury said at the end of those periods, the sanctions will be in “full effect”.

National Security Adviser John Bolton said that nobody should sign contracts for new business with Iran.

Former US president Barack Obama called the US pullout a “serious mistake” and warned it will erode America’s global credibility.

In his remarks, Mr Trump blasted the deal as “defective at its core”.

As evidence, he cited documents recently released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a leading critic of the deal. Iran has denied ever pursuing nuclear arms.

Mr Trump’s announcement drew mixed reaction from Congress.

“Mr Trump blasted the deal as ‘defective at its core’

Picture: Getty. Donald Trump announced his decision in the Diplomatic Room at the White House yesterday.