Top Republican Senator: Trump not to immediately reject Iran nuclear deal

A top Republican Senator said Friday that he didn't expect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to abruptly "tear up" the Iran nuclear deal after taking office on Jan. 20.

"To tear it up on the front end, in my opinion, is not going to happen," Bob Corker, Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters in Washington.

Corker, who was opposed to the nuclear accord when it was finalized in 2015, said the Iran deal was "flawed" , but to abruptly abandon the agreement backed by major countries would create an international crisis.

"In spite of all the flaws in the agreement, nothing bad is going to happen relative to nuclear development in Iran over the next few years," he said, adding that the U.S. should now vigorously enforce the agreement.

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly criticized the Iran nuclear deal, calling it "the worst deal ever negotiated." He also suggested that he would force Iran to return to the negotiation table or risk the accord being dismantled.

Iran and six world major countries -- the United States, Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany -- reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue in July, 2015 that puts Iran on the path of sanctions relief but more strict limits on its nuclear program.

The deal sets limits on Iran's nuclear activities as it will take Tehran at least one year to produce enough fissile materials for producing a nuclear weapon, and allows regular inspections of the facilities inside Iran.

In return, the United States and the European Union will suspend nuclear-related sanctions against Tehran, with the lifting of all past UN Security Council sanction resolutions.

source: Xinhua