The United States risks greater isolation and unpredictability in its anti-Iran drive after President Donald Trump opted to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal despite warnings from European allies, advisers and even some fellow Republicans, experts say. Trump said on Tuesday he was withdrawing the United States from the international nuclear deal with Iran, arguing the deal provided Tehran generous sanctions relief without imposing tough enough limits on its nuclear program or other "sinister" activities. 'IMPERFECT AGREEMENT'Mattis, who once spoke publicly of the need to abide by the Iran nuclear deal, has since tempered his remarks and told Congress it was an "imperfect arms control agreement" that needed to be fixed. On the nuclear front, a collapse of the deal could also hasten the risk that Iran covertly attempts to reconstitute a nuclear program that once consumed US intelligence officials and military planners. Iran denies it has tried to build atomic weapons and says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Source: dna May 09, 2018 05:16 UTC