President Donald Trump will announce new U.S. against Iran’s missile tests, support for “terrorism” and cyber operations, the White House said on Friday, Reuters reports.
“The president isn’t looking at one piece of this. He’s looking at all of the bad behavior of Iran. Not just the nuclear deal as bad behavior, but the ballistic missile testing, destabilizing the region, Number One state sponsor of terrorism, cyber attacks, illicit nuclear program,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders noted.
Trump is also reportedly expected to announce that he will decertify the landmark international deal curbing Iran’s nuclear program, in a step that could cause the accord to unravel.
The President on Friday declined to explain what he meant when he described a gathering of military leaders the evening before as “the calm before the storm.” Reuters adds.
The Trump administration also has acknowledged that Iran has not breached the accord’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which is designed to prevent Iran developing a nuclear weapon. The administration, however, contends that Tehran has violated the “spirit” of the deal.
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that steps Trump is reviewing as part of a broader strategy also include imposing targeted sanctions in response to Iran’s ballistic missile tests, cyber espionage and backing of Lebanese Hezbollah and other groups on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations.
Under a 2015 U.S. law, Trump has until October 15 to certify to Congress that Iran is complying with the JCPOA. If he decides to decertify, lawmakers would have 60 days in which to consider reimposing U.S. sanctions on Iran lifted under the deal, an action that many experts warn could unhinge the accord.
Be the first to comment