Trump Puts Iran Nuclear Deal In Limbo, Calling Agreement 'Unacceptable'

Updated at 1:45 p.m. ET

President Trump is striking a formal blow against the Iran nuclear deal. But he is stopping short of asking Congress to re-impose sanctions on Tehran. Instead, the president is urging lawmakers to pass a new law, spelling out conditions under which sanctions could be re-imposed.

In a speech from the Diplomatic Room at the White House, Trump said he is directing his administration "to work closely with Congress and our allies to address the deal's many serious flaws so that the Iranian regime can never threaten the world with nuclear weapons."

If that approach does not work, the president said, "then the agreement will be terminated." He noted that U.S. participation in the deal "can be canceled by me as president at any time."

While Trump has long criticized the nuclear deal as "," he has twice before reluctantly certified