Iran nuclear pact: Donald Trump on collision course with allies

America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail,” US President Donald Trump said after walking out on the nuclear deal with Iran. But  by taking this decision Trump has ignored advice against such a move from his key European allies as well as top US Democratic leaders. 

Trump’s decision would have global ramifications, straining Iranian economy and heightening tensions in the Middle East.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister Theresa May expressed their “regret and concern” at Trump's decision, calling on Iran to maintain its commitments under the deal.

The three leaders said they were committed to implementing the deal despite Trump's decision to pull out.

“We urge the US to ensure that the structures of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) can remain intact and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal,” they said in a joint statement.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said: “The US has announced that it doesn’t respect its commitments.”

“I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready for action if needed, so that if necessary we can resume our enrichment on an industrial level without any limitations.” Former US president Barack Obama in a rare statement called Trump's decision a mistake.

“If the constraints on Iran's nuclear programme under the JCPOA are lost, we could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it,” he said. Russia said it was deeply disappointed by Trump's decision to abandon the deal.

Sources: US Census Bureau, European Commission

Washington's actions were “flagrantly trampling on the norms of international law”, Russia's foreign ministry said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply concerned" over Trump's decision, calling on all other nations to support the agreement and preserve the deal. Some other American allies, however, voiced their support for the decision, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised “courageous leadership” and "bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran." 

Putin says feels 'deep concern' at Trump Iran move: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said he was seriously concerned by US President Donald Trump's abandoning the Iran nuclear deal.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti news agency that Putin in comments to his national Security Council expressed "deep concern over such a decision and once more stressed the importance of this document." Putin was set later on Wednesday to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who backed Trump's decision.

Netanyahu before leaving Israel said that "the meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so." The two leaders earlier today watched a Red Square parade marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, with some of the country's latest weaponry on display.

Russia's foreign ministry said late Tuesday it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Moscow and Tehran have close political and economic relations.