Trump poised to decide fate of Iran nuclear deal, as allies plead for it to be saved

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US President Donald Trump, who is due to decide on a nuclear deal with Iran, on January 11, 2018. Photo: EPA

Published: 7:54am, 12 Jan 2018Updated: 7:54am, 12 Jan 2018

US President Donald Trump was expected to decide on Thursday whether to extend sanctions relief to Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal as major European allies implored Washington to preserve the landmark arms control pact.

Under Secretary of State Steve Goldstein told reporters he expected Trump to decide whether to continue sanctions relief for Iran on Thursday but was not sure if the decision would be announced Thursday night or Friday.

A move to reimpose sanctions would effectively torpedo the agreement reached between Iran and five major powers under which Tehran pledged to rein in its nuclear programme in return for some easing of the economic restrictions imposed on it by the United States, the United Nations and the European Union.

A missile that the US Department of Defence says is confirmed as a “Qiam” ballistic missile manufactured in Iran by its distinctively Iranian nine fuelling ports, is shown on December 13, 2017. Photo: Reuters

In a telephone call with Trump on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the importance of abiding by the nuclear deal and, in an apparent effort to win the US president over, emphasised the need to enforce it rigorously.

“The proper implementation of the agreement should be accompanied by a strengthened dialogue with Iran on its ballistic programme and its regional policy, in order to guarantee better stability in the Middle East,” the French president said in a statement on the call.