US Vice President Mike Pence reiterated President Donald Trump's threat to terminate the "disastrous" nuclear deal with Iran, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
"This country will no longer certify the disastrous Iran nuclear deal," the LifeZette quoted Pence as telling the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday.
Despite the threat by Trump not to recertify the JCPOA, as has to be done every 90 days, it is defended by some of his appointees, most notably his national security advisor, H.R. McMaster.
Trump has long derided the deal, approved by his predecessor Barack Obama in October 2015.
But he has not decertified the action plan.
In the second week of January, Trump extended waivers, allowing Iran to keep enjoying the sanctions relief it was granted under the deal in return for temporary restrictions on its nuclear program.
But the Republican hawk delivered an ultimatum to the US Congress and the JCPOA's European signatories, namely Britain, France, and Germany, to cooperate with his administration on fixing what he calls the "disastrous flaws" of the UN-endorsed accord, or else he would withdraw from it.
Analyst Joe McMonigle said on Thursday that Pence's comments show that the Trump administration is "walking down the road to deny the oil sanctions waiver at the next deadline in May."
"I think the only chance to save the Iran deal now is if the EU can get some kind of side agreement on ballistic missiles but I think Iran is unlikely to be cooperative," McMonigle said.
Reuters reported last week that the United States has sketched out a path under which three key European allies would simply commit to try to improve the Iran nuclear deal over time in return for Trump keeping the pact alive by renewing US sanctions relief in May.
The annual CPAC convention has been held in the Washington region since 1974, and it brings thousands of conservative leaders, activists, and students together for three days of speeches, forums, and seminars.
