Pompeo in Israel: The U.S. Will Withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal if Not Amended

The new U.S. Secretary of State, who has arrived in Israel during his regional tour, stated: "If the nuclear deal with Iran is not changed, Donald Trump, the President, will withdraw from it." Mike Pompeo, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said: "Regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, President Trump has made it clear: this deal is flawed. He has tasked the government (of the U.S.) to work to amend this deal, and if we cannot amend it, he intends to withdraw from it. This is evident." Mr. Pompeo emphasized: "Unlike the previous administration, President Trump has a comprehensive strategy regarding Iran that is based on countering significant threats from Iran. As part of the President's comprehensive strategy on Iran, we must also address a wide range of Iran's non-nuclear threats: Iran's missile program, its support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, sending thousands of proxy fighters to Syria, and its assistance to Houthi rebels in Yemen." Benjamin Netanyahu also described his discussions with Pompeo about Iran as "very constructive" and praised the American leaders' stance on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and its "aggression" in the region. He claimed that "Iran's aggression in many forms has increased since the nuclear deal," adding: "If anyone thought that this aggression would subside as a result of the nuclear deal, it has now become clear that the opposite has happened." The Israeli Prime Minister stressed that "Iran must be stopped. Its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons must be thwarted. Its aggression must be halted, and we are committed to doing this together." Mr. Netanyahu had previously stated that the JCPOA must be "completely amended or rejected," arguing that the agreement only temporarily prevents Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons while failing to address Iran's missile program. Donald Trump announced on January 12 of last year that he would extend the suspension of sanctions against Iran under the JCPOA for the last time unless its "disastrous flaws" were addressed by its European partners. This deadline expires on May 12. Israel and Saudi Arabia are major supporters of Donald Trump's views on making changes to the JCPOA or withdrawing the U.S. from it. European countries have held negotiations with Washington in recent months to ensure that Trump's views are considered while preserving the JCPOA. On April 23, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, presented a four-point plan as a supplement to the JCPOA. However, Iranian officials have rejected this plan. On Saturday night and early Sunday, Theresa May, the Prime Minister of the UK, discussed the JCPOA and U.S. demands regarding it in phone calls with Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. Mrs. May's office stated that these leaders "emphasized the importance of the Iranian nuclear agreement as the best way to neutralize the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran." The statement added that the mentioned leaders agreed that "our priority as a global community is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons" and "we are committed to continuing close cooperation with each other and the United States on how to contain the challenges posed by Iran." They have committed to addressing other issues outside the framework of the JCPOA, including ballistic missiles, what to do after the agreement ends, and Iran's role in destabilizing the region. Mr. Pompeo stated in Brussels on Friday that the United States "will likely not tolerate the JCPOA unless the flaws identified by Donald Trump are addressed." He added that the U.S. President has not yet made a decision regarding the JCPOA. John Bolton, Trump's National Security Advisor, also reiterated this position on Sunday. The U.S. President has set four conditions for continuing U.S. participation in the JCPOA: "immediate access" for international inspectors to all Iranian sites and facilities, making restrictions on Iran's nuclear program permanent, guaranteeing no approach to nuclear weapons, and limiting Iran's ballistic missile program.