Trump says he will soon take a decision on Iran sanctions

Washington, Jan. 12 (PTI): US President Donald Trump today said that he will soon take a decision whether or not to re- impose sanctions on Iran which was lifted in 2015 under the landmark nuclear deal signed between th Islamic Republic and six world powers.

The nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers – the US, UK, Russia, France, China, and Germany calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.

In turn, Iran would be allowed to lift all nuclear- related economical sanctions, freeing up tens of billions of dollars in oil revenue and frozen assets.

Trump declared in October that the agreement was “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into”, and warned that within a few years Iran would be able to “sprint towards a rapid nuclear weapons breakout”.

He accused Iran of committing “multiple violations” and promised to work with Congress to “address the deal’s many serious flaws”.

Trump yesterday told reporters that he will soon take a decision whether or not to re-impose sanctions lifted under the Iran nuclear deal.

“You’ll be finding out very soon,” Trump told reporters in response to a question at the White House amidst reports that he is expected to take a decision as early as tomorrow to renew the waiver on US sanctions against Iran.

“You’re going to be finding out very soon. You’ll be finding that out very soon,” he said when Trump was asked what is his current thinking on Iran.

Top Republican Senator Marco Rubio said the “deeply flawed Obama Iran deal” should not be a grant of immunity to Iran from sanctions related to non-nuclear activities.

Trump has already declared that he no longer considers the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers to be in the United States’ national interest.

He, however, has continued to follow the example of his predecessor Barack Obama in regularly signing sanctions waivers so that US economic measures against Tehran do not “snap back.”

The deadlines for a number of these waivers to be renewed will fall over the coming week, and Trump is obliged to decide whether or not to maintain sanctions relief.