'SERIOUS MISTAKE'
Barack Obama slams Donald Trump for blowing up Iran nuke deal and says it could lead to war
BARACK Obama has slammed Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuke deal.
The former president posted a long statement on claiming the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) could lead to war.
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He said: "The United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East."
Trump has repeatedly criticised the 2015 accord, calling it "the worst possible deal".
But Obama, while admitting it was not perfect, was adamant the agreement would prevent nuclear war.
He added: "Every aspect of Iranian behaviour that is troubling is far more dangerous if their nuclear program is unconstrained.
What we know so far
- On Monday Donald Trump announced that he would scrap the Iran nuclear agreement.
- US President Trump said Washington was terminating the deal because Tehran was continuing to build its nuclear program.
- Trump also described the agreement as "disastrous" and "defective at its core."
- He then vowed to re-impose economic sanctions against Iran, hoping to affect the nation’s status as the “largest state sponsor of terror”.
- Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, called Trump’s threats “psychological war” and called on allies of the US to stand up to Washington over its nuke deal stance.
- Britain, France and Germany announced “regret” over Trump’s decision but will continue to abide by the agreement.
- A top Iranian lawmaker warned President Trump that ministers were preparing to increase spending on the country's ballistic missile program.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the US that it now "cannot do a damn thing" to stop Iran's nuclear programme following its withdrawal.
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"Our ability to confront Iran’s destabilizing behavior – and to sustain a unity of purpose with our allies – is strengthened with the JCPOA, and weakened without it."
He then listed six reasons why he believes the deal should not have been broken.
These included global support from the UK, Europe and Russia, how it limited Iran's nuclear program, how leaving could jeopardise inspections of Iranian weapons and the fact the agreement does not have an end date.
Obama concluded: "We could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it."
The US President claims Iran has continued to develop its nuke programme branding the agreement "disastrous" and "defective at its core."
Israel launches air strikes on Syria moments after Donald Trump scraps Iran nuclear deal amid fears of surprise attack
Trump earlier said: “The so-called Iran deal was supposed to protect the United States and our allies from the lunacy of an Iranian nuclear bomb, a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime.
“In fact, the deal allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and over time reach the brink of a nuclear blackout.
“Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie."
He also sent a message to North Korea insisting that America “no longer makes empty threats.”
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Speaking at the White House, the US President referenced the rogue state while announcing that he was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has since arrived in North Korea to discuss the scrapping of the crackpot country’s nuke programme and to negotiate the release of US prisoners.
Trump told reporters: “America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail."
Israel fully supports Trump’s bold decision to pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal
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