If Trump decides to withdraw from the deal unilaterally, the accord gives him a path forward. It begins with the United States alleging that Iran is not complying with the terms of the deal, and ends with the country using its veto power as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to kill any continued sanctions relief.
But that course of action could have serious ramifications for the United States if other nations believe Washington is trying to scuttle the deal absent cheating on Iran’s part.
The Trump administration risks provoking its European partners, China and Russia by threatening to pull out of the deal based on Iranian actions that were never on the agenda during nearly two years of nuclear negotiations that produced the accord.
European, Russian and Chinese companies are also vying for major roles in Iran’s oil and gas industry, so their governments are unlikely to reimpose sanctions except in response to clear violations.
It’s worth noting that on the day Tillerson announced the review of America’s Iran policy, the State Department also certified that Iran was compliant with the nuclear deal.
