Iran Envoy: If US Pulls Out, There Is No Nuclear Deal Left

Netanyahu says decision is in Trump's hands

Jason Ditz 

Posted onMay 2, 2018CategoriesNewsTagsIran, Israel, Trump

With just over a week until President Trump’s May 12 ultimatum on Iran’s nuclear deal, there is growing speculation about what will happen. If President Trump does withdraw the US from the deal, however, Iran is being very clear what will happen.

“The consequence would be that Iran would in fact be ready to go back to the previous situation,” said Iranian Ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad, who said thatwithout the US “there is no deal left.” European nations had previously suggested the deal might stay intact with or without the US.

The three European parties to the P5+1, Britain, France, and Germany, have been trying to come up with a sideline deal to placate President Trump and avoid the pullout. Whether this is going to be successful or not is still uncertain.

Reuters quoted unnamed White House officials early Wednesday as sayingTrump had all but decided to withdraw from the deal by May 12. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made similar predictions earlier in the week, but is now just saying that the decision is in Trump’s hands.

It’s not clear why Netanyahu is backing off his own predictions. Recent polling, however, has shown growing US support for the Iran deal. Though Trump has always been opposed to the idea, he may feel it is safer to keep temporarily extending it while publicly criticizing it for now, while trying to get more concessions from Europe.

https://news.antiwar.com/2018/05/02/iran-envoy-if-us-pulls-out-there-is-no-nuclear-deal-left/