The White House's long-awaited 'final determination' on Iran has hit a wall. Sources confirm that President Trump's decision on whether to certify the Iran nuclear deal has been postponed, with Downing Street pushing for a more unified Western front. The delay comes amid a series of leaked memos from the State Department warning that decertification could isolate the US and embolden hardliners in Tehran.
Documents obtained by this paper show that UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson personally called National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster last week, urging restraint. 'We cannot afford a transatlantic rift,' Johnson wrote in a private note. 'The European Union's position is clear. Any unilateral action risks unravelling years of diplomacy.'
Behind the scenes, the delay is a blow to Trump's inner circle, who had been pushing for a swift decertification. Sources close to the President claim he is 'furious' about the interference, but the UK's stance has given pause. 'He doesn't want to be seen as caving to Europe,' one adviser said, 'but he also doesn't want to be the one who leaves NATO in the lurch.'
The stakes are high. The nuclear deal, formally the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed in 2015 and has been a cornerstone of European foreign policy. Decertification would not automatically pull the US out, but it would trigger a 60-day congressional review and likely reimpose sanctions. Iran has warned it would resume uranium enrichment if the deal collapses.
Meanwhile, the UK is walking a tightrope. Johnson, who has publicly backed the deal, is under pressure from Washington to show solidarity. But private letters from the Foreign Office to the White House reveal a deepening frustration. 'We are not a satellite,' one diplomat wrote. 'We are an ally.'
The delay has also exposed divisions within the Trump administration. Defence Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have both argued for certification, while National Security Advisor John Bolton and Iran hawk Nikki Haley push for a tougher line. The President, caught in the middle, has reportedly asked for a 'final, final' briefing next week.
For now, the deal survives. But the cracks are showing. If Trump decertifies, it will be the most significant rupture in US-EU relations since the Iraq War. If he backs down, his base will cry betrayal. Either way, the countdown to a crisis has begun.
Sources on Capitol Hill say the delay is only temporary. 'This is a bargaining chip,' one Senate staffer said. 'Trump wants concessions from Europe on NATO spending and trade. But they aren't budging.'
In Tehran, the regime is watching closely. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, in a rare interview with a Western outlet, said: 'The US is not reliable. Europe must act on its own.'
The UK's gamble is clear. If it can hold the line, it may emerge as the bridge between America and Europe. But if the bridge collapses, the rubble will be felt for decades.
