‘US lawmakers aim to comply with Iran nuclear deal’

WASHINGTON — US lawmakers signalled they plan to ensure the United States complies with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal despite US President Donald Trump's misgivings about the pact, the European Union's foreign policy chief said on Tuesday.

"I got clear indications that the intention is to keep the United States compliant with the agreement," EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters at a news conference in Washington.

Trump on October 13 dealt a blow to the pact by refusing to certify that Tehran was complying with the accord even though international inspectors say it was.

Under the deal, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for relief from economic sanctions.

Trump's decision has thrown into doubt the future of the pact negotiated by Iran, the EU and six major powers — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Congress has until mid-December to decide whether to reimpose sanctions lifted under the deal, something few diplomats expect.

Mogherini, one of the negotiators of the agreement, sought to avoid publicly becoming embroiled in the debate among US lawmakers about what kind of legislation, if any, to pass regarding the nuclear deal even as she stressed the EU's desire to see the United States stick with it.