Photo: AP
US President Donald Trump says he will withdraw the US from an Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran, the BBCreports.
Calling it “decaying and rotten”, he said the deal was “an embarrassment” to him “as a citizen”.
Going against advice from European allies, he said he would reimpose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015.
In response, Iran said it was preparing to restart uranium enrichment, key for making both nuclear energy and weapons.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said: “The US has announced that it doesn’t respect its commitments.
“I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready for action if needed, so that if necessary we can resume our enrichment on an industrial level without any limitations.”
He said he would “wait a few weeks” to speak to allies and the other signatories to the nuclear deal first.
“If we achieve the deal’s goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place,” he said.
Western powers say they are committed to the Iran nuclear deal, after President Donald Trump announced the US was withdrawing from the agreement.
The UK, France and Germany urged the US not to obstruct its implementation.
They said they would work with the other signatories to the 2015 deal – Russia and China – which have stressed continuing support for the deal.
In response, Iran said it would restart uranium enrichment, if the agreement could not be salvaged.
