UN nuclear inspection chief to visit Iran this weekend

The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog will visit Iran on Sunday for talks with senior officials as opposition from the Trump administration threatens to undermine a landmark 2015 accord to curtail Iran's nuclear program.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the deal is formally titled, was crafted over 21 months of hair-pulling negotiations.

Earlier in October, Trump unveiled an aggressive new strategy towards Iran during a speech at the White House, announcing he would not re-certify the landmark 2015 nuclear accord.

Yukiya Amano, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will discuss Iran's implementation of the agreement, the IAEA said on Wednesday.

Iran's commitments under the deal are being implemented, Amano said, adding that the agreement is a "net gain" for nuclear verification.

Following Trump's belligerent speech, which alarmed allies across the Atlantic, the US Congress now has less than 60 days to decide whether to re-impose economic sanctions on Tehran.

European leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to the accord, hoping that Congress will prevent the deal from collapsing.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said Iran will stick to its commitments under the accord as long as other signatories do, but would "shred" the nuclear deal if the US pulls out.