US signals it may exit Iran nuclear deal

The US' newly-appointed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is here on an official visit, on Sunday signalled that Washington would likely withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, media reports said.

The agreement had failed to "moderate" Tehran and the US would pull out of the nuclear deal if it was unable to "readjust" it on more favourable terms, Efe news reported quoting Pompeo.

The US Secretary of State spoke briefly to the press alongside Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, and also accused Iran of supporting terrorism and the Houthi rebel movement in Yemen.

Pompeo is on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, the first leg of his Middle East tour.

He was received on Saturday evening by Adel al-Jubeir at the King Khalid International Airport, Xinhua news quoted the Saudi Press Agency as saying.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the US, was also present at the airport.

He will also travel to Israel where he will hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In Jordan, he will meet King Abdullah.

Pompeo's tour which also includes Jerusalem and Amman comes just two days after he was sworn-in as the 70th US Secretary of State.

The Iran nuclear deal was signed between China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US, as well as the EU, and saw Iran commit to halting its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

--IANS

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