Iran reprisal warning over Trump’s nuclear deal exit

The Iranian government has warned it will take “whatever reciprocal measures it deems expedient” if it is not fully compensated for the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement.

A lengthy government statement said the other parties to the agreement – especially Britain, France and Germany – must safeguard the accord, implement their commitments and “proceed from giving pledges to taking practical action without any preconditions”.

Iran reiterated that no provisions or timeframes in the 2015 agreement “are negotiable in any manner”.

It also reiterated that the foreign minister is seeking “required guarantees” from the five other parties to the agreement as well as Iran’s other economic parties.

At the same time, the government said it has tasked the president of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran with “taking all necessary steps in preparation for Iran to pursue industrial-scale enrichment without any restrictions, using the results of the latest research and development of Iran’s brave nuclear scientists”.

The statement was sharply critical of President Donald Trump, calling his administration “extremist” and the US withdrawal from the accord “unlawful”.

The government said the US pullout damages its credibility on the world stage and the credibility of accords the US has signed, and puts “the present system of international law in serious danger”.

Earlier, thousands of Iranians took to the streets in cities across the country to protest against the US withdrawl.

The protests resembled other aggressive but orderly gatherings typical under President Hassan Rouhani, who has tried for a rapprochement with the West.

But while slogans of “Death to America” were few, many Iranians are sincerely angry over Mr Trump’s decision and are siding with hard-liners who have warned to be suspicious of the West.

Mr Trump pulled America out of the 2015 accord on Tuesday.