Trump, speaking in a televised address from the White House, said he would reimpose economic sanctions on Iran.

“This was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made,” Trump said. “It didn’t bring calm. It didn’t bring peace. And it never will.”

The 2015 deal, worked out by the United States, five other international powers and Iran, eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country limiting its nuclear program. The pact is seen by many in the West as a way to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb.

But Trump complains that the agreement, the signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor Barack Obama, does not address Iran’s ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 nor its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria.

He also said the agreement did not prevent Iran from cheating and continuing to pursue nuclear weapons.

“It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement,” he said. “The Iran deal is defective at its core.”

Trump said he was willing to negotiate a new deal with Iran, but Tehran already has ruled that out and threatened unspecified retaliation if Washington pulled out.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran will remain in the nuclear deal without Washington.

Iranian state television said Trump’s decision to withdraw was “illegal, illegitimate and undermines international agreements.”

Abandoning the Iran pact is part of Trump’s high-stakes “America First” policy, which has seen the United States announce its withdrawal last year from the Paris climate accord and come close to a trade war with China.

Trump has attempted to erase major parts of Democrat Obama’s legacy and last year withdrew from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal the Paris climate accord.

Renewing sanctions would make it much harder for Iran to sell its oil abroad or use the international banking system.

Oil prices recouped some losses after Trump’s announcement, in a volatile session in which prices slumped as much as 4 percent earlier in the day.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled 1.7 percent lower at $74.85 a barrel while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 ended the session 2.4 percent lower at $69.06 per barrel.

Wall Street remained in negative territory while energy stocks cut earlier losses after Trump spoke.

Trump’s decision is a snub to European allies such as France, Britain and Germany who also are part of the Iran deal and tried hard to convince the U.S. president to preserve it. The Europeans must now scramble to decide their own course of action with Tehran.

China and Russia also are signatories to the Iran deal.

Trump did not provide details of what he described as the “highest level of economic sanctions” that he is reimposing on Iran.

According to the U.S. Treasury, sanctions related to Iran’s energy, auto and financial sectors will be reimposed in three and six months.

Iran’s growing military and political power in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq worries the United States, Israel and U.S. Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia.

Israel has traded blows with Iranian forces in Syria since February, stirring concern that major escalation could be looming.

Minutes before Trump’s announcement, Israel said it had instructed local authorities in the Israeli-held Golan Heights to “unlock and ready (bomb) shelters” after identifying what the military described as “irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria.”

The military statement said its defense systems had been deployed “and IDF (Israel Defence Force) troops are on high alert for an attack.”

Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said abandoning the Iran deal was a threat to U.S. national security.

“With this decision President Trump is risking U.S. national security, recklessly upending foundational partnerships with key U.S. allies in Europe and gambling with Israel’s security,” Menendez said.

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Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country was satisfied that the deal would contribute to security and stability in the Middle East.

He was speaking after King Salman held talks with Obama in Washington, King Salman’s first trip to the United States since assuming the throne in January.

The foreign minister said he hoped Iran would use the windfall from the lifting of sanctions for its own development rather than engage in what he termed as “nefarious activities in the region”.

“The president explained and affirmed that the agreement prevents Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, has a robust and unprecedented inspections regime that includes inspections of all sites… and that has provision for snap back of sanctions should Iran violate the terms of their agreement,” he added.

Gulf states fear that lifting sanctions could allow Iran to extend its support for militant groups and actions across the region they consider destabilising.

The Saudi foreign minister also said assurances had been given to President Obama that efforts would be made to relieve the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

The US has backed a Saudi-led coalition’s attempts to restore the government in Yemen, in its campaign against Houthi rebels.

Human rights activists and humanitarian organisations have criticised Obama’s decision to support the coalition air campaign in Yemen, which has killed hundreds of civilians since March, and the naval blockade that has caused severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

Obama pressed King Salman to ensure humanitarian organisations were given unrestricted access to Yemen, where the Saudis are leading a coalition against the Houthi rebel movement.

“We share concerns about Yemen and the need to restore a function government that is inclusive and that can relieve the humanitarian situation there,” Obama said after the meeting.

US-Saudi ties are said to have been strained by Mr Obama’s unwillingness to take military action against Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, and his support for a nuclear deal that the Saudis fear will ultimately allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.

In May, King Salman skipped a summit of Gulf Arab leaders at Camp David, which was widely interpreted as a snub for the US president.

The Obama administration has vowed to make certain that Iran abides by its commitments under the nuclear deal and to do everything it can to “counter Iran’s destabilising activities” in the Middle East once the country’s estimated $56bn (£37bn) of frozen assets are released.

In an effort to reassure its Gulf allies, the US has been working with them to develop a ballistic missile defence system, provide special operations training, authorise arms transfers, strengthen cyber security, engage in large-scale military exercises, and enhance maritime operations to halt illegal Iranian arms shipments.

“We are determined that our Gulf friends will have the political and military support that they need,” Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.

Senior administration officials told the New York Times that the Pentagon was finalising a $1bn arms agreement that would provide weapons for the Saudi military for the campaign against the jihadist group Islamic State and the Houthi rebel movement in Yemen.

The deal primarily comprised missiles for US-made F-15 fighter jets, the officials said.

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Her announcement gives Obama the votes to assure the deal will survive a Congressional challenge.

“Some have suggested we reject this deal and impose unilateral sanctions to force Iran back to the table. But maintaining or stepping up sanctions will only work if the sanction coalition holds together,” wrote Ms. Mikulski, the longest serving female senator in history.

“It’s unclear if the European Union, Russia, China, India and others would continue sanctions if Congress rejects this deal. At best, sanctions would be porous, or limited to unilateral sanctions by the U.S.”

Ms. Mikulski’s decision came a day after Senators Chris Coons of Delaware and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania also announced they would support the deal.

The White House and Senate Democrats next week hope to filibuster a Republican resolution that would attempt to stop the Iran accord.

If seven more senators come out in support, the resolution would never leave the Senate, and Mr. Obama would not be forced to use a veto.

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