UK certain Iran nuclear deal to be preserved, U.S. says remains committed

 

FILE PHOTO - Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson at a press conference with Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray in London, England, October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris J Ratcliffe/Pool

 

LONDON (Reuters) - There is absolutely no doubt that a deal between Western powers and Iran to curb its nuclear programme will survive despite the U.S. decision not to recertify the deal, Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

 

Johnson was giving a speech on foreign affairs in London.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump broke ranks with other major powers earlier this month by refusing to formally certify that Tehran is complying with the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), even though international inspectors say it is.

 

The U.S. Congress now has 60 days since Trump's action to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the pact.

 

U.S. Disarmament Ambassador Robert Wood said on Monday Washington would "continue to meet its commitments under the JCPOA and will hold Iran strictly accountable for each and every one of its commitments as well."

 

Wood was speaking at a United Nations meeting in New York.

 

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, writing by Alistair Smout; additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos at the United Nations; Editing by Kate Holton and Sandra Maler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-24

There is doubt.  The US has the loosest of loose cannons on deck at the Oval Office.