What was the Iran nuclear deal Trump dumped in search of ‘better’ terms?

Al Jazeera
April 21, 2026
2 min read

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President Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) in 2018, calling it "the worst deal ever."

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President Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018. He characterized the agreement as "the worst deal ever" and sought to negotiate stronger terms with Iran. This action reversed a landmark international agreement that aimed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief. The withdrawal led to the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran, escalating tensions in the Middle East. The Trump administration's decision reflected a policy shift away from multilateral nuclear diplomacy with Iran.

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