Iran’s president on Tuesday warned it could restart its nuclear program “within hours or days” if the Trump administration continued its confrontational policies toward the Islamic Republic. President Hassan Rouhani’s remarks were a direct response to Trump’s increasingly bellicose rhetoric toward Iran and his announcement of fresh sanctions on individuals and businesses connected to Iran’s ballistic missile program. It was not clear if Rouhani’s comments were bluster or if Iran could indeed restart its nuclear activities quickly. United Nations inspectors have access to Iran’s nuclear facilities under the agreement and have said the Islamic Republic is complying with its terms. The missile program is not covered by the nuclear agreement, but Iran believes any additional U.S. sanctions violate the spirit of the deal.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 15, 2017 15:09 UTC