US President assures Israel PM that he will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, says deal with Tehran was ‘worst’ he’s ever seen
Donald Trump
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Washington: US President Donald Trump has assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he will not allow Iran develop a nuclear weapon and termed the nuclear agreement Tehran reached with world powers one of the “worst deals” he has ever seen.
Trump has on several occasions – during his presidential campaign and afterwards – criticised the agreement reached in 2015 between Iran and the US, the UK, Russia, France, China and Germany to limit the country’s nuclear ability. The deal signed during President Barack Obama’s tenure had strained US-Israel ties, and Obama-Netanyahu relationship.
Trump’s explicit guarantee came during his first joint presser with Netanyahu after he took over the US presidency on January 20. He has previously said he would work to improve ties with Israel, and has imposed sanctions on Iran for testing a ballistic missile in violation of the nuclear deal.
“The security challenges faced by Israel are enormous, including the threat of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which I’ve talked a lot about. One of the worst deals I’ve ever seen is the Iran deal,” Trump told reporters Wednesday.
“My administration has already imposed new sanctions on Iran, and I will do more to prevent Iran from ever developing – I mean ever – a nuclear weapon,” he said. Iran has defended its nuclear programme as purely civilian.