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WASHINGTON. – US president Donald Trump has announced his country’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and enforce “powerful” sanctions against the country.
The US president said other countries doing business in Iran could also be hit by sanctions.
Ahead of Trump’s speech, senior British diplomats said the UK government was “deeply pessimistic” about Trump’s announcement over the Iran nuclear deal yesterday evening.
French president Emmanuel Macron lobbied the US President to stay in the accord during his State Visit – the first of Trump’s administration – but appeared unable to convince him.
The two leaders discussed “issues related to peace and stability in the Middle East” during their phone call yesterday, Macron’s office said.
Other European officials have also rushed to Washington over the last few weeks in a bid to convince Trump to stay in the agreement.
Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson have both travelled to the US capital hoping to persuade the US government.
The British government has said it will continue to honour the deal, despite believing Trump will renege on the deal.
A senior British diplomat said: “The Foreign Secretary went to Washington this week to make the pitch for the US to remain in the Iran deal.
‘‘Following that visit, unfortunately we are deeply pessimistic ahead of President Trump’s announcement later today.
‘‘However, we will have to wait and see what exactly President Trump says tonight.
“Our objective will remain to uphold and maintain the JCPOA. We will need to wait to understand what the US plan is to deliver on our shared goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and addressing their regional behaviour.”
France and Germany have said they will stick with the deal even if the US pulls out.
Florence Parly, France’s defence minister, called the deal “a factor of peace and stabilisation in a very eruptive region”.
World leaders and diplomats are scrambling to avoid “uncontrolled escalation” in the Middle East in anticipation of Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement.
The US president may stop short of a complete withdrawal but looks set to reimpose sanctions on Iran’s central bank and its oil sector dealings, a key pillar of the agreement.
Trump’s decision to scrap sanctions relief would have global ramifications, straining Iran’s already crisis-racked economy, heightening tensions in the Middle East and laying bare the biggest transatlantic rift since the Iraq War.
The Iranian rial had lost around a third of its value in six months, before authorities in April took the drastic step of pegging the exchange rate to the dollar.
Trump could also decide to stop waivers for a thicket of other sanctions against Iran, effectively ending US participation in the deal and putting European companies at risk of sanction. – The Telegraph.
Online Reporter