(Jerusalem, Israel) -- After a careful policy review by senior administration officials, and consultation with a wide range of U.S. allies, President Donald Trump today kept his promise by
announcing the U.S. will terminate the nuclear deal that President Obama and Secretary John Kerry negotiated with Iran.
The President also announced the U.S. will imposing severe economic sanctions on the terrorist regime in Tehran.
This was absolutely the right decision, and the President deserves tremendous credit.
As I've noted previously: "The President should scrap this insane and dangerous deal. 1) It's not a real treaty signed by both sides. 2) It wasn't confirmed by the U.S. Senate according to the Constitutional process. 3) The deal does not stop Iran from building or buying an entire nuclear arsenal in the near future. 4) Iranian leaders lied repeatedly through the entire process. They cannot and should not be trusted to keep their word, especially since they continually call for the U.S. and Israel to be annihilated."
Most of America's Sunni Arab allies -- especially the Saudis and Gulf emirates -- are cheering the decision tonight. So is the government of Israel. That said, most Western Europeans oppose the President's decision, as do Russia and China.
More than ever, please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all the peoples of the Middle East. Things might get bumpy.
The Iran nuclear deal decision -- along with President Trump's decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the site of Israel's capital -- are being praised by many here. But both decisions pour gasoline on the fire Iran has been stoking for years as they try to rally jihadists to attack the U.S. and Israel.
The apocalyptic regime in Tehran is by far the most dangerous terror regime in the region. What makes them even more dangerous is that have the full backing of its main ally, Vladimir Putin of Russia.
There may be very challenging days ahead in this part of the world. Iran has been repeatedly humiliated by the U.S. and Israel in recent months as both allies are showing more resolve at pushing back on Tehran's thus-far nearly unchecked aggression. Tehran is looking for a way to hit the U.S. and Israel -- and hard. But this is all the more reason to show firmness and unity. You only get peace through strength.
"The Iran deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into," the President
said at the White House.
“This was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made,” Mr. Trump said, according to a report by the New York Times. “It didn’t bring calm, it didn’t bring peace, and it never will.”
- President Trump is terminating United States participation in the JCPOA, as it failed to protect America’s national security interests.
- The JCPOA enriched the Iranian regime and enabled its malign behavior, while at best delaying its ability to pursue nuclear weapons and allowing it to preserve nuclear research and development.
- The President has directed his Administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA.
- 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.
- Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences.
- United States withdrawal from the JCPOA will pressure the Iranian regime to alter its course of malign activities and ensure that Iranian bad acts are no longer rewarded. As a result, both Iran and its regional proxies will be put on notice. As importantly, this step will help ensure global funds stop flowing towards illicit terrorist and nuclear activities.
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