White House in talks with Congress on a 'fix' to stay in Iran deal: Tillerson

White House in talks with Congress on a 'fix' to stay in Iran deal: Tillerson
Sat Jan 6, 2018 12:32:24

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the White House is actively working with congressional leaders to find a legislative "fix" to the Iran nuclear agreement so that the United States would remain in the multi-nation accord.

Press TV--  “The president said he is either going to fix it or cancel it,” Tillerson said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday. “We are in the process of trying to deliver on the promise he made to fix it.”

The changes to the US law regulating the US participation in the 2015 deal could come as early as next week or shortly thereafter, the top diplomat said.

Tillerson's comments come as President Donald Trump must decide by January 12 whether he will re-certify the Iran deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, including the United States.

Re-certification indicates that Iran is complying with the terms of the nuclear accord.

Trump faces a series of deadlines in the coming days about what to do with the Iran deal, which he has called an “embarrassment” to the US and “the worst deal ever negotiated.”

Trump has not made a decision about whether he will certify the pact next week and continue to waive sanctions against Iran.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic.

In October, Trump refused to certify Iran's compliance, and warned he might ultimately terminate the deal in defiance of other world powers. In doing so, the president passed the buck to Congress, which was given 60 days then to decide how to proceed with the deal.

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