U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)
WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said in the White House on Tuesday that he will withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015.
In a televised speech, Trump announced the exit, adding he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, re-imposing sanctions lifted under the accord.
Trump repeated his tough stance on the deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region.
"The Iran deal is defective at its core. I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," he said. "Today's action sends a critical message - The United States no longer makes empty threats."
Later, the White House also said in an emailed message to the media that the deal is "unacceptable," quoting Trump's remarks that the agreement is "one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into."
The White House argued that the deal "enriched the Iranian regime and enabled its malign behavior" at the cost of U.S. national interests.
Trump has "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors."
"Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences."
Saying Trump "will work to assemble a broad coalition of nations to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon and to counter the totality of the regime's malign activities," the White House noted Tehran must "never have an ICBM, cease developing any nuclear-capable missiles, and stop proliferating ballistic missiles to others," "cease its support for terrorists," "end its publicly declared quest to destroy Israel," "end its cyber-attacks against the United States" and "stop its unjust detention of foreigners, including United States citizens."
Later, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an announcement that the United States "will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat."
"Our effort is broader than just the nuclear threat and we will be working together with partners to eliminate the threat of Iran's ballistic missile program; to stop its terrorist activities worldwide; and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East and beyond. As we build this global effort, sanctions will go into full effect and will remind the Iranian regime of the diplomatic and economic isolation that results from its reckless and malign activity," the U.S. top diplomat noted.
Trump said in his speech that Pompeo is on the way to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to prepare for his meeting with the country's top leader Kim Jong Un. He said earlier that he will announce the date and location of the meeting "very soon."
