Trump “poised” to withdraw from Iran threatening to scrap an internationally-brokered nuclear deal with Iran and re-impose sanctions unless the regime stops testing ballistic missiles and supporting terrorism. Trump must decide by May 12 whether to renew “waivers” suspending U.S. sanctions on Iran as part of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA), passed by Congress in 2015. Under INARA the president must certify that Iran complies with the deal’s terms every 90 days. The deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, was made between Iran and six major powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- in 2015. Enacted in January 2016, it was one of former U.S. President Barack Obama’s signature foreign policies but has been described by Trump as “one of the worst deals I have ever witnessed.”
Iranian nuclear chief warns US: Don't undermine nuclear deal
Trump has given Britain, France and Germany until the May 12 deadline to fix what he views as the deal’s flaws: Iran’s ballistic missile tests and so-called “sunsets” which only limited Iran’s nuclear activities for a fixed period. UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed JCPOA, called for Iran to refrain from activity related to nuclear-capable missiles. Iran has launched at least 20 rockets since JCPOA came into effect, claiming they are for self-defence. On Thursday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a real risk of conflict if Trump walks away from the deal.
