US to claim it never left Iran nuclear deal so it can force arms embargo

It may have looked like US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is reportedly preparing to assure the world that the US did no such thing.

As part of a plan to push the UN to reimpose an arms embargo later this year, the US is planning on claiming that it technically remains party to the accord, and as such can invoke a snapback clause that would force the reimposition of sanctions in place before the accord, according to the New York Times.

Russia, which has expressed interest in renewing arms sales to Iran, would likely veto any Security Council resolution to reimpose the arms embargo, meaning the US would need to re-enter the deal, or claim it never left, to invoke a clause that would essentially render the full accord null and force the UN to reimpose the sanctions, according to the report.

The move would also force Iran back to the table to negotiate a new deal, according to US officials quoted in the report.

The original deal curbed Iranian nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief, and also enshrined a UN resolution placing an arms embargo on Iran. The small arms section of the embargo expires in 2020.

Trump had described the nuclear deal as “disastrous,” and pledged to withdraw from it on the campaign trail.

On May 8, 2018, Trump said the US was “withdraw[ing] from the Iran nuclear deal,” and described his “exit” from the accord, before signing a presidential memorandum reinstating US sanctions.

“The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them,” Trump said at the time.