What is the Iran nuclear deal and why has Donald Trump pulled out of it? JCPoA explained

US President Donald Trump has announced he is pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.

He described the agreement as “decaying and rotting” and said he will reinstate the highest level of sanctions on the country as he revealed his decision on Tuesday.

Mr Trump said the US "will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail" and will not allow "a regime that chants 'Death to America"' to get access to nuclear weapons.

State leaders around the world reacted with shock and disappointment at the announcement, with Theresa May expressing “regret and concern”.

What is the Iran nuclear deal?

Trump holds up a proclamation declaring his intention to withdraw from the deal
REUTERS

Iran agreed to rein in its nuclear programme in a 2015 deal struck with the US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) Tehran agreed to significantly cut its stores of centrifuges, enriched uranium and heavy-water, all key components for nuclear weapons.

Why did Iran agree to the deal?

It had been hit with devastating economic sanctions by the United Nations, United States and the European Union that are estimated to have cost it tens of billions of pounds a year in lost oil export revenues. Billions in overseas assets had also been frozen.

Why is it under threat?

The deal was the key foreign policy achievement of Barack Obama's presidency, making it an immediate target for his successor Donald Trump.

On the presidential campaign trail Mr Trump made his opposition clear and then continued to make threats about pulling out of the "worst" deal the US has "ever" signed up to because of its "disastrous flaws".

Donald Trump announces his intention to withdraw from the JCPOA
REUTERS

In his White House statement on Tuesday, he said the agreement was one-sided and so poorly negotiated that Iran could still be on the brink of acquiring a nuclear weapon even if it fully agreed with the terms.

Mr Trump claimed there would be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East if he allowed it to stand.

What is Britain's position?

The Government does admit the deal is not perfect as it fails to cover areas such as ballistic missiles and is time-limited, but insists it is the option with the "fewest disadvantages".

Germany, France and the United Nations all urged the US not to withdraw, with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson making a last-ditch attempt to preserve the deal during a trip to Washington on Monday.

After Mr Trump revealed his plans, Prime Minister Theresa May issued a joint statement with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron saying the decision was a matter of "regret and concern".

What happens now the United States has pulled out?

President Trump said he will impose the "highest level" of economic sanctions on Iran.

Tehran warned before the announcement that US withdrawal from the agreement effectively amounts to "killing the deal".

Immediately after Mr Trump set out his decision, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the country could start enriching uranium more than ever if negotiations with other countries in the deal failed.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Vice President Mike Pence listen as Donald Trump announces his withdrawal from the Iran deal
REUTERS

Britain, Germany and France said they remained committed to the accord and encouraged Iran to "show restraint" in response to the decision by the US.

Has there been any support for the move?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal had fuelled Iranian aggression in the region.

He praised Mr Trump's "historic" decision and insisted leaving the accord in place would be "a disaster for the peace of the world".

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