Donald Trump pulls US out of Iran nuclear deal
US president vows the ‘highest level of economic sanctions’ against Tehran

Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal, pitting him against the United States’ closest allies, leaving the future of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions in question and stirring uncertainty in the Gulf.
“It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement,” Trump said in a statement at the White House yesterday. “The Iran deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing we know exactly what will happen.”
The US president then signed an executive order “reimposing sanctions on any foreign company that continues to do business with Iran”, The Guardian says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani responded shortly after the announcement, ordering that the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be “ready for action if needed, so that if necessary we can resume our [uranium] enrichment on an industrial level without any limitations”.
Rouhani also indicated that Tehran will speak with the other signatories to the deal to see if it will be possible to meet the goals of the deal without the United States.
However, that seems unlikely as the scope of the economic sanctions proposed by Trump – including a complete ban on any US companies or people doing business with Iran – would have a flow-on effect to other countries.
The move comes despite fierce lobbying by the UK, Germany and France who are also signatories of the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and had urged Trump not to back away out.
The leaders of those nations issued a statement expressing “regret and concern” at Trump’s decision, while reaffirming their commitment to the deal.
CNN says Trump’s decision could have “explosive consequences”, and potentially strain US ties with some of its closest allies while “disrupting oil markets and boosting tensions in the Middle East”.
According to The New York Times, the move could “embolden hard-line forces in Iran,” raising the prospect of Iranian retaliation against Israel or the United States, while also “fuelling an arms race in the Middle East and fanning sectarian conflicts from Syria to Yemen.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump says Putin vowed retaliation for Kyiv strike
speed read The Russian president intends to respond to Ukraine's weekend drone strikes on Moscow's warplanes
-
Trump drops ceasefire demand after Putin call
speed read Following a phone call with Russia's president, Trump backed off an earlier demand that Putin agree to an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine
-
Israel-US 'rift': is Trump losing patience with Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question US president called for an end to Gaza war and negotiated directly with Hamas to return American hostage, amid rumours of strained relations
-
On VE Day, is Europe alone once again?
Today's Big Question Donald Trump's rebranding of commemoration as 'Victory Day for World War Two' underlines breakdown of post-war transatlantic alliance
-
US, Ukraine sign joint minerals deal
speed read The Trump administration signed a deal with Ukraine giving the US access to its mineral wealth
-
Ukraine-US minerals deal: is Trump turning away from Putin?
Today's Big Question US shows 'exasperation' with Russia and signs agreement with Ukraine in what could be a significant shift in the search for peace
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago