WASHINGTON _ With new deadlines looming, President Donald Trump plans to again refuse to certify to Congress that the Iranian nuclear deal is the U.S. interest _ but stop short of re-imposing sanctions that could kill the landmark accord, according a U.S. official involved in the process and a person familiar with the deliberations.
The White House is expected to announce the president's decision, which could still change, on Friday.
The moves would maintain the status quo in place since October, when Trump first declined to certify the 2015 deal, which was negotiated with Iran by the United States and five other world powers. The Obama administration considered it a crowning foreign policy achievement that blocked Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
The decision to stay in the deal, at least for now, comes as its critics and proponents argue over whether recent antigovernment protests in Iran show that the international accord has helped, or hurt, the Islamic Republic's authoritarian clerical leadership.
Iran agreed to dismantle or destroy most of its nuclear infrastructure and fuel under the agreement. In exchange, the global community agreed to ease economic sanctions related to Tehran's nuclear program. Under U.S. law, the White House must periodically agree to waive the sanctions _ or risk being in violation of the international deal.
Refusing to certify that the deal is in the U.S. interest allows Congress to weigh in. Congressional leaders have begun to look at ways to rewrite several key provisions, including possibly eliminating sunset clauses and requiring more intrusive inspections, although it's unlikely Iran would agree.
