President Donald Trump threatened to terminate a nuclear deal with Iran Friday afternoon.
“We cannot and will not make this certification,” said Trump. Meaning, he believes Iran’s compliance with the deal cannot be certified.
Every 90 days, the President must certify that Iran is living up to its requirements in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (better known as the Iran nuclear deal). If the president does not certify compliance, then under the terms of Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, Congress can fast-track wide-ranging sanctions.
ABC News reported that Trump’s announcement triggers, “a 60-day window for lawmakers to re-impose sanctions against Iran that were suspended in 2015 as part of the agreement.”
Trump said, “In the event we are not able to reach a solution working with Congress and our allies, then the agreement will be terminated.”
Trump said, “We will deny … [Iran] all paths to a nuclear weapon.”
Trump said, “We will not continue down a path whose predictable conclusion is more violence, more terror, and the very real threat of Iran’s nuclear breakout.”
Trump also authorized the administration to engage in targeted sanctions against Iran.