Trump says newest Iran deal will be ‘far better’ than Obama’s, one of the ‘worst deal ever made’
Trump said “nuclear weapons would have been used against Israel” and US bases if he hadn’t canceled Obama’s deal.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
US President Donald Trump said Monday that a planned agreement with Iran would differ significantly from the 2015 nuclear deal, as conflicting signals emerged over whether talks between the two sides would proceed.
In a social media post, Trump said, “The DEAL that we are making with Iran will be FAR BETTER than the JCPOA,” Trump wrote, describing the 2015 agreement as “one of the Worst Deals ever made” and asserting that it created “a guaranteed Road to a Nuclear Weapon.”
Trump said he had canceled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during his first term and argued that had it remained in place, Iran would have developed nuclear weapons.
“Nuclear Weapons would have been used on Israel, and all over the Middle East, including our cherished U.S. Military Bases,” he wrote.
He also criticized the financial components of the agreement, referencing $1.7 billion in cash sent to Iran and stating that hundreds of billions of dollars were paid to the country under the deal.
Despite Trump’s assertion that talks were moving forward, reports on Monday reflected uncertainty about whether negotiations would take place. Trump said the meeting remained scheduled for Tuesday and that US delegates were traveling to Pakistan.
At the same time, Tasnim, Iran’s regime-linked television station, reported that Iran did not plan to participate in discussions with the United States while a naval blockade remained in effect in the Strait of Hormuz.
The differing accounts highlighted uncertainty surrounding the diplomatic effort, as Pakistan continued to play a mediating role. According to AP, Pakistani mediators met with representatives of both countries and were encouraging them to return to the negotiating table.
