Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday that the landmark nuclear deal has failed to squash Iran’s ability and determination to develop atomic weapons, arguing that the country’s ambitions still threaten international peace and security.
“An unchecked Iran has the potential to follow the same path as North Korea and take the world along with it,” Tillerson said in remarks to reporters in the formal setting of the State Department’s Treaty Room. “The United States is keen to avoid a second piece of evidence that strategic patience is a failed approach.”
Tillerson’s strong criticism of Iran and the nuclear deal came one day after the State Department officially notified Congress that Iran has met all its commitments under the agreement, a certification required every 90 days. Tillerson’s letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan, released just before the midnight deadline, marked the first time the Trump administration has done so.
The White House is conducting a top-to-bottom review of Iran policy, including an evaluation of the deal officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. As a candidate, President Donald Trump frequently called it the “worst deal ever negotiated.” But once in office, it has been unclear whether he intends to break it or leave it in place.
If the administration were to decide to walk away or otherwise renege on its commitments, it would open the door for Iran to cast aside its own promises and resume the unfettered development of its nuclear program. Iran has denied even considering the development of nuclear weapons.
Congress has introduced bills extending U.S. sanctions against Iran related to its alleged support of terrorism, human rights violations and missile tests. Lawmakers have put the legislation on pause, however, because of the impact the bills could have in Iran’s presidential election scheduled for next month. President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate who pressed for the deal against domestic opposition, is seeking reelection. In addition, the U.S. treasury has announced sanctions against individuals and companies affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The historic agreement was negotiated with Iran by the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany, with help from the European Union. It did not address Iran’s support for terrorism or dismal human rights record, but focused on its commitment not to build a nuclear weapon for at least a decade and to open its facilities to U.N. inspections.