Months of intense negotiations with the Europeans to keep the accord in place collapsed over Mr. Trump’s insistence that the limits placed by the agreement on Iran’s nuclear fuel production were inadequate. Under the provisions of the deal, those limits, or “sunset clauses,” were to expire in 2030 — 15 years after the deal was signed.

As a result, the United States will reinstate all the sanctions it had waived as part of the nuclear accord, and it will impose additional economic penalties that are now being drawn up by the Treasury Department.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin declined on Tuesday to specify what additional sanctions the United States might impose, but he expressed confidence that they would still be powerful even if other American allies did not follow suit.

“We do not want to let Iran use the U.S. financial markets and financial system and transact in dollars until they agree that not only will they not have a nuclear weapon now, but we’ve put in provisions that they will never have one,” Mr. Mnuchin said.

In his announcement, Mr. Trump recited familiar arguments against the deal: that it does not address the threat of Iran’s ballistic missiles or its malign behavior in the region, and that the expiration dates for the sunset clauses open the door to an Iranian nuclear bomb down the road.

Even if Iran was in compliance, he said, it could “still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time.” In fact, under the deal, the limits on Iran’s uranium enrichment and stockpiles of nuclear fuel mean that Iran would not be on the verge of a nuclear breakout until 2030.

Still, Mr. Trump said, the United States and its allies could not stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon “under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement.”</s>The US President's dramatic step is all promise and no plan so far.

US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that was all promise and no plan. (Credit: Reuters)

Donald Trump's decision to violate the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose US sanctions will not lead us immediately to disaster. That may come later.

Right now, America is on one side of the argument while its key allies including the UK, Germany and France, stand with Iran. Australia, by the way, also opposed scrapping the deal.

The leaders of the UK, Germany and France, say as a result of the deal "the world is a safer place." And, while Donald Trump seeks to hurt Iran economically, they are working with Iran to see what they can offer to keep the Iranians in the deal, "including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people".

The most immediate effect of the US decision will be the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran's oil industry and its banking sector which will kick in over several months. The sanctions previously had a crushing effect on Iran's oil exports and since the nuclear deal was implemented oil exports have more than doubled.

So make no mistake, they will cause a major financial hole which won't be easy for the Europeans to fill. And, in an increasingly integrated global economy, it's not easy to remain untouched by US sanctions.

Europe's leaders might convince the US to effectively exempt European companies from the sanctions regime. Or they could pass laws to protect their companies and claw back penalties imposed by the US by imposing tariffs on US goods.

To some, a mini trade war and division among key NATO allies on a crucial global security issue may already count as a disaster. But it could get worse.

Iran says it will give those talks just a few weeks before it leaves the agreement and cranks up its uranium enrichment program.

It's worth remembering that, before Iran agreed to cut the program and mothball the machines at its heart it always denied it had a military dimension. But it built secret enrichment facilities and conducted experiments and made components that could be used to build a nuclear weapon.

That's why proponents of the deal signed in 2015 are so worried about scrapping it.

So, back on that path to disaster: if talks with the Europeans fail, a state that made substantial progress towards a nuclear weapon could kick out inspectors and press ahead, all the while maintaining its peaceful purposes.

And how would the world respond? It's worth remembering who buys Iran's oil. Last year 24 per cent of Iran's exports went to China, 18 per cent to India, 14 per cent to South Korea and 9 per cent to Turkey. Italy, France, the UAE and Japan are also significant customers.

Without international consensus, sanctions regimes can be leaky, especially when major customers don't agree with them. That's another step down a perilous road.

While America's allies are trying to negotiate their way through all this, they are also trying to reach agreement on what to do about Iran's ballistic missile program and its role in conflicts throughout the Middle East. And there are signs of real progress there.

But on the key question of what to do about the fact that, under the existing deal, caps on Iran's nuclear activity start to expire after 2025, there remains a major difference.

The UK, France and Germany only acknowledge that "a long-term framework … will have to be defined."

While that's not enough to satisfy Mr Trump it is enough to make the Iranians bridle at long-term European intentions.

For now, Iran's pragmatic President, Hassan Rouhani, is centre stage in Tehran. Mr Trump's strategy relies on that remaining the case, even if the deal falters, giving him time to bring the Europeans around and convince the Iranians that the renewed financial pain isn't worth it.

Most arms control experts in the west agree it would be good to have a permanent cap on Iranian nuclear activity and many US allies want to see Iran's missile capability reined in and its role in the region curtailed. But Mr Trump's dramatic step, with no alternative in place, is so far, all promise and no plan.

Meanwhile, Iran could flex a bit of nuclear muscle by resuming some activity, while blaming the US and trying to keep the agreement alive.

The hardcore Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which welcomed the billions that flowed into Iran when sanctions were lifted but has always been critical of limiting its nuclear ambitions, could even push for the full-blown, open pursuit of nuclear weapons.

On the road to disaster, that's pretty much the final destination.

In announcing his government's response to the US decision, Mr Rouhani alluded to Mr Trump's current attempts to strike a deal with North Korea, warning the US has shown it can't be trusted.

Mr Trump even mentioned his Secretary of State was jetting to North Korea as he wrapped up his announcement on Iran.

In his view, tough talk has forced them to discuss full de-nuclearisation.

But the North Koreans already have a nuclear weapon and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps may be learning a different lesson: you have a better chance of dealing with the likes of Donald Trump if you already have a big stick.</s>As President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign pledge to withdraw from the Iran deal, he took a moment to send a message to North Korea.

“Today’s action sends a critical message,” the president said Tuesday during his announcement on the fate of the Iran nuclear deal.

“The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them.”

“In fact, at this very moment, (Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un,” he further stated.

“Hopefully, a deal will happen, and with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone.”

Many critics have commented that withdrawing from the Iran deal damages America’s credibility.

However, the Trump administration’s intended message to North Korea appears to be that the Kim regime must do better than Iran, which curbed its nuclear ambitions but continued to destabilize the region, violating the spirit of the original deal.

White House National Security Adviser John Bolton elaborated on this point Tuesday afternoon, telling reporters that the president’s decision to withdraw from the Iran deal “sends a very clear signal the United States will not accept inadequate deals.”

Pompeo is making his second trip to North Korea in a month, as he made a secret trip to the hermit kingdom over Easter weekend.

During his first trip, he met with Kim Jong Un to lay the groundwork for the upcoming summit.

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What do you think? Scroll down to comment below.</s>Israel's prime minister on Tuesday praised President Trump's "historic move" for withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran on Tuesday while the military said forces are on high alert near its border with Syria after spotting Iranian activity.

Netanyahu has been a leading critic of the deal, saying it did not contain sufficient safeguards to prevent Iran from reaching nuclear-weapons capability or address Iran's other activities across the region or its long-range missile program.

"The deal didn't reduce Iran's aggression, it dramatically increased it, and we see this across the entire Middle East," he said in televised comments following Trump's announcement. "Despite the deal, the terrorist regime in Tehran is developing a ballistic missiles capability, ballistic missiles to carry nuclear warheads far and wide, to many parts of the world."

Netanyahu said that leaving the nuclear deal unchanged along with Iran's other operations in the region "is a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world."

Trump earlier signed a presidential memorandum withdrawing from the 2015 agreement and said he is planning to reinstall sanctions on the Iranian regime. He said in an address to the nation that he will be reinstituting the highest level of sanctions and warning any country not to help the Iranian government. Trump said he "will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail" and will not allow "a regime that chants 'Death to America'" to get access to nuclear weapons.

The possibility of the nuclear deal collapsing had raised concerns it might embolden Iran to strike Israeli targets.

Israel's military said Tuesday its forces were on high alert and was urging civilians in the Golan Heights near Syria to prepare bomb shelters. Later, the military said in a statement it had called up some reservists but did not elaborate.

The military directive Tuesday came "following the identification of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria." It said defense systems have been deployed.

The military said it is prepared for "various scenarios" and warned "any aggression against Israel will be met with a severe response."

Israel is believed to have been behind recent airstrikes on military bases in Syria that killed Iranian soldiers, prompting Tehran to vow retaliation. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

It has warned it will not tolerate archenemy Iran establishing itself militarily on its doorstep in Syria.</s>JERUSALEM — Israel's prime minister on Tuesday praised President Trump's "historic move" for withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran on Tuesday while the military said forces are on high alert near its border with Syria after spotting Iranian activity.

Netanyahu has been a leading critic of the deal, saying it did not contain sufficient safeguards to prevent Iran from reaching nuclear-weapons capability or address Iran's other activities across the region or its long-range missile program.

"The deal didn't reduce Iran's aggression, it dramatically increased it, and we see this across the entire Middle East," he said in televised comments following Trump's announcement. "Despite the deal, the terrorist regime in Tehran is developing a ballistic missiles capability, ballistic missiles to carry nuclear warheads far and wide, to many parts of the world."

Netanyahu said that leaving the nuclear deal unchanged along with Iran's other operations in the region "is a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world."

Trump earlier signed a presidential memorandum withdrawing from the 2015 agreement and said he is planning to reinstall sanctions on the Iranian regime. He said in an address to the nation that he will be reinstituting the highest level of sanctions and warning any country not to help the Iranian government. Trump said he "will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail" and will not allow "a regime that chants 'Death to America'" to get access to nuclear weapons.

The possibility of the nuclear deal collapsing had raised concerns it might embolden Iran to strike Israeli targets.

Israel's military said Tuesday its forces were on high alert and was urging civilians in the Golan Heights near Syria to prepare bomb shelters. Later, the military said in a statement it had called up some reservists but did not elaborate.

The military directive Tuesday came "following the identification of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria." It said defense systems have been deployed.

The military said it is prepared for "various scenarios" and warned "any aggression against Israel will be met with a severe response."

Israel is believed to have been behind recent airstrikes on military bases in Syria that killed Iranian soldiers, prompting Tehran to vow retaliation. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

It has warned it will not tolerate archenemy Iran establishing itself militarily on its doorstep in Syria.</s>President Donald Trump will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, the Associated Press reports.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday can land his most devastating blow yet on the legacy of Barack Obama, but a move to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal could also spark a dangerous global crisis.

The decision, to be announced at the White House at 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, could mark a signature moment for Trump's presidency.

It gives him the chance to cement his "America First" philosophy but risks triggering unknowable consequences that in a worst case scenario could lead to war with Iran.

The decision also gives the President a choice. Does he follow his instincts and honor a campaign promise to his loyal political base? Or does he listen to US allies who back the deal and don't want him to re-impose US sanctions on Iran?

Trump is expected to announce on Tuesday that he will allow sanctions to go forward on Iran, a first step toward withdrawing from the deal, a US official and a person familiar with the plan told CNN. However, the sanctions could take months to go into effect as the US government develops guidance for companies and banks. That could keep open a narrow window for America's European allies to continue trying to broker a broader deal that could keep Trump on board.

The officials cautioned that nothing is final until Trump makes his announcement.

Given that Trump's gut usually wins out over his concern for America's friends or complicated calculations of geopolitical ramifications down the road, it's no surprise most people think he will pull out of the deal.

"It's pretty obvious to me that unless something changes in the next few days, I believe the President will not waive the sanctions," CNN's Jim Sciutto quoted a European diplomat as saying.

"And that will have various consequences that I think we have yet to fully to understand and spell out."

Leaving the deal would represent another sharp turn away from the multilateral diplomacy that underpinned Obama's foreign policy and America's approach to the world for much of the 20th Century.

It would also introduce an illogical note into Trump's own diplomatic strategy, since he would be withdrawing from one nuclear deal with a US enemy, while trying to negotiate another, with North Korea.

Yet Trump, who last month called the deal "insane" and "ridiculous" is notoriously unpredictable. He could still spring a surprise.

Trump has been teasing his decision for days and may have given a hint of his intentions this week when he slammed former Secretary of State John Kerry and his reported initiative to save the deal.

"The United States does not need John Kerry's possibly illegal Shadow Diplomacy on the very badly negotiated Iran Deal. He was the one that created this MESS in the first place!" Trump tweeted.

"John Kerry can't get over the fact that he had his chance and blew it! Stay away from negotiations John, you are hurting your country!" Trump tweeted on Tuesday.

If Trump does decide to pull out of the Iran agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, it will be because he thinks it's the "worst deal in history."

The President has frequently misrepresented the terms of the deal that froze Iran's nuclear program and complained that it does not halt Tehran's missile tests or power moves in the Middle East.

He repeatedly brings up the billions of dollars in unfrozen Iranian assets and funds held in escrow that were returned to the Islamic Republic after the deal was agreed in 2015.

Obama's reasoning was that the prospect of an Iranian nuclear weapon was so dangerous that a deal to stop Tehran short of a weapons threshold was the most urgent priority.

Deal supporters say that the pact has stretched the "break out" time Iran would need to race to a bomb to at least a year, has mothballed most of its centrifuges and all but eradicated its uranium stockpile.

"Now that these handcuffs are in place, I see no possible advantage in casting them aside. Only Iran would gain from abandoning the restrictions on its nuclear program," British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson wrote in the New York Times on Sunday.

But critics say the deal includes sunset clauses that will eventually allow Iran to resume the production of highly enriched uranium that could be used for weapons.

The President promised to kill the deal on the campaign trail but allowed himself to be persuaded by cabinet members and allies several times to recertify Iran's compliance, to his evident fury.

But now, with a new foreign policy team including national security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also oppose the deal, the President may have a freer hand.

Still, some Republicans in the national security establishment argue that the consequences of leaving could be worse than staying in.

Defense Secretary James Mattis last month told the Senate Armed Services committee that the verification provisions in the pact were "pretty robust" though he did not publicly back the deal.

Despite his criticism of the deal, neither Trump nor his aides have been able to say that Iran is infringing the agreement.

And there has been no detailed explanation from the administration about what happens next if the US tears it up.

Pulling out of the JCPOA would risk a serious split with leaders of America's traditional European allies, who have trekked to Washington in recent weeks to flatter, cajole and warn Trump.

'Walking away with no Plan B

Western diplomats have been trying for months to get Trump to stay in the deal or to negotiate measures on missiles and constraining Iran's geopolitical push that could stand alongside the Iran deal.

French President Emmanuel Macron raised the carrot of a "new" deal during a state visit to the White House last month, hoping to get around the President's antipathy to a pact that rates as his predecessor's biggest foreign policy achievement.

But privately, foreign diplomats have confided that the biggest problem with the agreement is the visceral distaste the President harbors towards anything that his predecessor achieved.

That's one reason why some observers believe that the decision on the Iran agreement is more dictated by politics than statesmanship.

"This agreement is highly flawed but it is functional," said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East peace negotiator for Democratic and Republican presidents, this month on CNN.

"Walking away from it without a Plan B I think is a political interest of the President but it is not in the national interest."

Iran has said there can be no renegotiation of the nuclear deal, a position shared by Russia and China, two other signatories.

If Trump does decide to pull out of the deal, his speech will be closely watched for details that could dictate what happens next.

He could simply say that the US does not intend to comply any longer and reimpose sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2015. If he does not impose sanctions immediately, that could leave a small window for European allies to continue seeking a compromise.

If Trump does slap sanctions back on Iran right away, it could give European states an unpalatable dilemma -- do they follow suit or refuse in a move that could split the transatlantic alliance wide open?

Trump's move will also pose choices for Iran.

With its hobbled economy, Tehran could announce it is sticking with the deal in the hope of accruing the benefits of expanded trade with European firms -- and hope to split the US and Europe.

Or it could make a more aggressive move and start to enrich nuclear fuel again, a step that could force European states to reimpose their own sanctions and could precipitate a major international crisis.

Copyright 2018 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>President Donald Trump has confirmed the withdrawal of the US from the Iran nuclear accord.

Mr Trump spoke out against the arrangement as "a horrible, one-sided deal" based on a lie.

He said that if he allowed the deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race, and called Iran a "regime of great terror".

He said that "no action taken by the regime has been more dangerous than its pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means of delivering them".

Mr Trump signed a presidential memorandum withdrawing from the 2015 agreement and said he is planning to reinstall sanctions on the Iranian regime.

He said in an address to the nation that he will be reinstating the highest level of sanctions and warned other countries not to help the Iranian government.

Mr Trump said America "will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail" and will not allow "a regime that chants 'Death to America"' to get access to nuclear weapons.

The president said he made the decision after consulting with US allies.

Mr Trump said "great things" can happen for the Iranian people following his announcement.

He predicted that Iranians would someday "want to make a new and lasting deal" and that "when they do, I am ready, willing and able".

He added that a new deal could lead to the "peace and stability we all want in the Middle East".

Mr Trump was speaking from the White House when he denounced the previous Iran deal as "defective at its core".

Despite lobbying from European allies, Mr Trump moved forward with his campaign promise to pull out of the Obama-era agreement.

The Iranians have been sharply critical of the Republican president's plan to withdraw.

Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the number-two Democrat in the Senate, branded the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal "a mistake of historic proportions".

He said that breaking the Iran deal increases the danger that Iran will restart its nuclear weapons programme, which threatens Israel and "destabilises the entire Middle East".

Mr Durbin said Mr Trump's action "isolates the United States from the world at a time when we need our allies to come together to address nuclear threats elsewhere, particularly in Korea".</s>President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he is quitting the Iran nuclear deal, pitting him against the United States’ closest allies and leaving the future of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions in question.

“I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal,” Trump said from the White House.

“It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and cotton structure of the current agreement,” he said. “The Iran deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing we know exactly what will happen.”

In announcing his decision, Trump will initiate new sanctions to go forward, crippling the touchstone agreement negotiated by his predecessor, according to a US official and a person familiar with the plan.

“The so-called Iran deal was supposed to protect the United States and our allies from the lunacy of an Iranian nuclear bomb, a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime,” the President said. “In fact, the deal allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and over time reach the brink of a nuclear breakout.”

The President added: “Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie.”

Senior Trump administration officials — including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats — have said Iran is adhering to its commitments under the deal. But Trump has argued while they may be sticking to the letter of the accord, they have violated its spirit by fostering discord in the region.

Trump derided the deal as an embarrassment that gave the regime dollars at the same time it sponsored terrorism.

“At the point when the US had maximum leverage, this disastrous deal gave this regime — and it’s a regime of great terror — many billions of dollars, some of it in actually cash — a great embarrassment to me as a citizen,” Trump said.

The sanctions could take months to go into effect as the US government develops guidance for companies and banks. But reapplying the sanctions — which were lifted in exchange for Iran’s commitment to curb its nuclear program — would cripple the 2015 accord that Trump has deemed “the single worst deal I’ve ever seen drawn by anybody.”

Long a harsh critic of the nuclear accord, Trump has until now resisted taking steps to fully withdraw from the plan.

It further isolates Trump on the global stage, where he has angered even the staunchest US allies by reneging on US commitments to the Paris climate accord and pulling out of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

The grace period until the sanctions are imposed may offer the deal’s proponents an opening to negotiate. But the uncertainty is expected to forestall foreign investments in Iran that were made possible by the pact.

Trump was keeping his decision closely held on Tuesday morning. Marc Short, the President’s legislative director, said lawmakers would be notified later Tuesday afternoon.

Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Capitol Hill midday to inform members of Congress of Trump’s decision to withdraw, people familiar with the matter said.

Trump, meanwhile, spoke early in the day with Chinese President Xi Jinping and phoned French President Emmanuel Macron mid-morning.

A French source familiar with the call between Trump and Macron described the conversation as “very, very disappointing.”

Macron was one of several European leaders who had lobbied Trump to remain in the deal, arguing it remains the best way to curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Both Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel flew to Washington to make their appeals in person.

Trump told them the deal failed to address Iran’s ballistic missile program or its support of terror in the Middle East. They appeared receptive and began negotiations on a separate deal that would address his concerns. But European diplomats expressed only pessimism that their efforts would be successful.

“It’s pretty obvious to me that unless something changes in the next few days, I believe the President will not waive the sanctions,” one European diplomat told reporters on Monday.

Trump’s final decision to withdraw from the deal was made over the weekend, according to a person familiar with the discussions, though it was long considered a foregone conclusion inside the White House.

National security adviser John Bolton, an Iran hawk who nonetheless told people he was committed to providing all options to Trump, offered a variety of paths, including reimposing all sanctions, applying new sanctions, or allowing for more time to negotiate with the Europeans.

Trump determined that more time would not bridge disagreements, most pointedly his demand that Iran’s nuclear program be curbed past the current deal’s sunset in 2030.

In his talks with Macron and Merkel, Trump left little doubt that he was planning to withdraw, according to Western diplomats. But he insisted he hadn’t made a final decision and kept his precise plans guarded.

Some White House officials were caught off guard when Trump announced on Twitter Monday that he was planning to make the announcement. Most aides expected him to wait until closer to Saturday, when the deadline for issuing a sanctions waiver landed.

One US official suggested the timing was moved up so as not to impede next week’s opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem, another move that could cause jitters in the Middle East.

The sanctions Trump is expected to allow to move forward target Iran’s oil exports. The status of additional actions remained unclear, though some officials suggested Trump would leave additional sanctions for a later date.

A senior administration official said most of the work done behind the scenes in the West Wing leading up to the announcement was to prepare for a withdrawal, including developing communications strategies. But the official offered the same caution as others: no decision is considered final until Trump makes his announcement.

The decision would strike a blow to the nuclear deal, though other signatories to the plan, including Germany, France and the UK, have said they will maintain their commitments.

But new US sanctions would undoubtedly cause companies to reconsider investments in Iran and European firms may have no choice but to scale back or risk running afoul of US rules.

The grace period could allow for further negotiations between US allies on a side agreement that addresses Trump’s concerns about the missile program and Tehran’s support for terror groups. But even if a deal is struck, it’s not clear how they would convince Iran to sign on, or whether Russia and China — two other partners to the deal — would agree.</s>Trump to announce decision on Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is set to reveal his decision on whether to keep the U.S. in the Iran deal on Tuesday, a move that could determine the fate of the 2015 agreement that froze Iran's nuclear program.

The announcement is set to cap more than a year of deliberation and negotiation that has at time pitted Trump against some of his closest aides and key American allies. Trump is facing a self-imposed May 12 deadline over whether to uphold the 2015 nuclear agreement, which he long has criticized. The president has signaled he will pull out of the pact by the deadline unless it is revised, but he faces intense pressure from European allies not to do so.

"I will be announcing my decision on the Iran Deal tomorrow from the White House at 2:00pm," Trump tweeted Monday.

The president has been the subject of an intense lobbying effort by American allies to maintain the agreement, with British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson making a last-ditch appeal to the administration in a visit to Washington this week. European leaders say that they are open to negotiating a side agreement with Iran, but the existing framework must remain untouched for that to happen.

It is not immediately clear what Trump will announce Tuesday or whether he will announce the end of the deal or push for a renegotiation. Trump in October "decertified" the deal with Iran, but did not move to re-impose sanctions, known as a "snap-back."

On Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would be willing not to abandon the nuclear deal even if the United States pulls out, providing the European Union offers guarantees that Iran would keep benefiting from the accord.

Rouhani said that "what we want for the deal is that it's preserved and guaranteed by the non-Americans" — a reference to other signatories of the 2015 agreement.

U.S. officials and European allies share the conclusion that the deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has halted Iran's development of nuclear weapons. Trump has objected to a sunset provision that would allow Iran to restart some nuclear development in 2025.

Supporters of the deal argue that withdrawing from the JCPOA would undermine Trump's push for North Korea, which has a far more advanced nuclear program than ever possessed by Iran, to denuclearize. Trump is planning on meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un within the next month.

Earlier Monday, Trump criticized John Kerry after reports that the former secretary of state has been promoting the Iran nuclear deal.

Trump said on Twitter: "The United States does not need John Kerry's possibly illegal Shadow Diplomacy on the very badly negotiated Iran Deal. He was the one that created this MESS in the first place!"

Kerry, who was also the lead negotiators for the Obama administration on the Paris climate accord, has been promoting both agreements since he left office.

The Boston Globe reported Friday that Kerry, the lead negotiator on the deal for the Obama administration, had been privately meeting with foreign officials to strategize on how to keep the U.S. in the deal.

Kerry has met with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. At least one of their meetings was at a June 2017 public event in Oslo, Norway, where they sat on the same panel with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and extolled the virtues of the nuclear deal.

Kerry, a keen environmentalist who regularly derided climate change skeptics and championed ocean health while secretary of state, has also continued to speak out on those issues since becoming a private citizen.

Last week at an event in Dallas, Trump mocked Kerry over a bicycle accident he had three years ago.

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Josh Lederman contributed to this report from Washington.</s>Politicians in the Iranian parliament were filmed burning an American flag and chanting “death to America” on Wednesday in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — more commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.

Trump announced his plan to withdraw from the 2015 agreement on Tuesday, calling it a “horrible one-sided deal that should never, ever have been made.”

Furious Iranian lawmakers also set fire to a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal, and vowed to increase spending on the country’s ballistic missile program.

“With a national consensus, we will give the U.S. and Zionists a response that they will regret,” said parliament speaker Ali Larijani according to the Mehr news agency.

According to Larijani, Iran could return to its nuclear program, but will hold off at first on withdrawing from the nuclear pact, the Times of Israel reported.

Larijani also called Trump an “egotistical and amateurish politician,” for exiting the deal. “Trump does not have the mental capacity to deal with issues,” he said according to Reuters.

“While U.S. flag-burning is common in Iran and harsh criticism of America has been a staple of Iranian parliamentary politics for years, it was the first time political observers could remember anything being burned inside the parliament itself,” reported Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

After Trump’s decision, Iranian leaders expressed hope that the European Union will work to preserve the deal.

“Iran hopes the European Union will pass laws to protect European firms from any potential U.S. sanctions. EU officials have suggested they’ll do what they can to salvage the agreement,” The New York Times reported.

“So if necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations,” said Iranian President Hassan Rohani. “Until implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests.”

Dozens of Iranians also set fire to a U.S. flag during a protest in front of the former U.S. embassy, calling for retaliation.

While the response from the international community was overwhelmingly negative, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel fully supports Trump’s “bold decision to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran.”

RELATED: Trump: Pompeo on His Way Back from North Korea with 3 Released Prisoners

“Israel has opposed the nuclear deal from the start,” he said in a speech Tuesday.

“Because we said that rather than blocking Iran’s path to a bomb, the deal actually paves Iran’s path to an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs, and this within a few years time.”

What do you think? Scroll down to comment below.
Donald Trump announces that the United States will withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal.