Trump blames every Middle East problem on Iran

Heaping scorn on the nuclear deal, Trump said the JCPOA did not deal with Iran's ballistic missiles or its involvement in conflicts in Yemen and Syria.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab & agencies

24 April, 2018

French President Macron is meeting Trump on a state visit [Getty]

US President Donald Trump slammed the Iran nuclear deal as "insane" on Tuesday, saying it did nothing to tackle Tehran's ballistic missiles programme or support for militant groups in the Middle East.

Trump launched into an angry tirade against the three-year-old nuclear accord as he hosted the French president in the Oval Office, exposing a deep rift with European allies who are trying to stop him from walking away from the deal.

The US leader said the agreement - inked by the United States, Iran, Europe, Russia and China - was a "terrible deal" that was "insane" and "ridiculous" because it did not deal with ballistic missiles or Iran's involvement in conflicts such as those in Yemen or Syria, and threatened "problems" if Tehran restarts enrichment.

"People know my views on the Iran deal. It was a terrible deal. It should have never ever been made," Trump railed.

After years of rubbishing the deal, Trump faces a May 12 deadline to decide on its fate and is demanding changes that European capitals believe would represent a legal breach.

French counterpart Emmanuel Macron is currently in Washington on the first state visit hosted by Trump since his inauguration last year, aiming to salvage the deal.

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