US President Donald Trump will extend sanctions relief granted to Iran under its 2015 nuclear deal with the United States and other world powers, thereby leaving the accord intact for now, according to sources.
However, Trump, who has vowed to scrap the pact, was expected to give the US Congress and European allies a deadline for improving it, the person said. Without improvements, Trump would renew his threat to withdraw from the agreement.
Trump had faced a Friday deadline to decide on whether to waive the sanctions. A decision to withhold a waiver would have effectively ended the deal that limits Iran’s nuclear programme. The White House is expected to announce the decision on Friday.
But while Trump approved a sanctions waiver, he also decided to impose new, targeted sanctions on Iran, the person said.
US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin also said he expected Trump to impose a separate set of sanctions, according to the BBC, which are likely to target Iranian businesses and people allegedly involved in missile tests, terrorism, and human rights abuses.
Two senior Trump administration officials told Reuters on Wednesday that the president, a Republican, had privately expressed reluctance to heed the advice of top advisers recommending he not reimpose the suspended sanctions.