President Trump was today set to turn his back on Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal and announce a more aggressive approach towards Tehran.
In a speech from the White House, Mr Trump was expected to declare that the painstakingly negotiated agreement was “not in America’s national security interests”.
He has already branded it the “worst deal ever”. Under the 2015 accord, Iran agreed to freeze its nuclear programme in return for the partial lifting of sanctions.
Officials said the president will announce that he will not certify the deal and that he intends to seek sanctions against Iran’s Revolutionary Guard by designating it a terrorist organisation.
Mr Trump wants Congress to take tougher action against Tehran’s ballistic missile programme, support for Syrian president Bashar Assad, Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and other groups that destabilise the region. The move could disappoint allies, including Britain, Germany and France, who helped broker the deal.
Under US law, Mr Trump faces a deadline on Sunday to notify Congress whether Iran is complying with the accord, that was negotiated over 18 months, and determine if it remains a national security priority. Although Mr Trump intends to say that Iran is living up to the letter of the agreement, he will make the case that the deal is fatally flawed and that its non-nuclear behaviour violates the spirit of regional stability that it was intended to encourage.
Mr Trump was not due to call for a re-imposition of nuclear sanctions against Iran. In addition, he will ask Congress to amend or replace the legislation that requires him to certify Iranian compliance every 90 days.
Officials have said that Mr Trump hates the requirement more than the nuclear deal itself because it forces him to take a position every three months. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was due to speak to British, German and French officials.
Theresa May has urged the US to recertify the nuclear deal with Iran because it is “vitally important for regional security”. German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said: “It’s imperative that Europe sticks together on this issue.” Trump aides said he wants to fix “flaws” in the nuclear accord and address Iran’s other activities in the region rather than abandon it altogether. Russia and China also do not want to reopen the deal.
