Trump Briefed on Iran Trove in March, Senior Official Says

The White House did not issue a formal correction, but did offer an explanation. The White House is calling it a “clerical error”.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. would discuss Israel’s newest purported evidence with the other global powers that negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal.

Showing pictures of what he said were Iran’s secret document storage, he said: “In a great intelligence achievement, Israel obtained half a tonne of material inside these vaults”.

Instead, Netanyahu’s presentation appeared to be directed at trying to show Iran had the intent to build nuclear weapons before the 2015 accord.

But Pompeo declined to say whether they represented proof that Iran was violating the deal. In his words, “What this means is the deal was not constructed on a foundation of good faith or transparency”.

Tension between the long-standing enemies has grown steadily since Iran built up its military presence in Syria, which lies to the north-east of Israel.

US President Donald Trump applauded the announcement and said it shows he was “100% right” in criticizing the 2015 pact agreed to by former US President Barack Obama, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. And on or before the 12th we’ll make a decision.

Under U.S. law, the president is required to certify Iran’s compliance with the deal every 90 days and issue waivers on certain sanctions every 120 days.

“Iran lied about never having a nuclear weapons program”, he said.

“Fully fix or fully nix”, the prime minister declared of the Iran deal.

“Right here. Few Iranians knew where it was, very few, and also a few Israelis”, Netanyahu said with a bookcase of files behind him.

The atomic watchdog cited a report on Iran’s nuclear activity, presented by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in 2015, where the IAEA found “no credible indications” of any nuclear explosives development in Iran after 2009. In the speech Netanyahu warned, “Iran could get to the bomb by keeping the deal”.

“What the prime minister did last night, was to give Trump ammunition against the European naiveté and unwillingness regarding Iran”.

Netanyahu told CNN’s “New Day” that a trove of documents, which he revealed in a TV address on Monday night, showed Iran had no intention of sticking to its commitments in the 2015 deal brokered with the global community.

He has described the deal as the “worst ever” and has twice already refused to certify to Congress that Iran is complying with the agreement.

Meanwhile, Iran dismissed Netanyahu as “the boy who cried wolf”, and termed his presentation propaganda. He claimed the material shows Iran can not be trusted and encouraged President Donald Trump to withdraw from the deal. I have personally reviewed numerous Iranian files. He pointed to missile tests, saying Iran is “not sitting back idly”. They remain committed to the deal and are lobbying President Trump to stick with it.

We can expect U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley to address this evidence in the UN Security Council.

A British government spokesman defended the accord, saying in a statement: “We have never been naive about Iran and its nuclear intentions”.

Blowing up the Iran nuclear deal, as many expect Mr. Trump to do, will cut off the access Tehran now allows worldwide inspectors for the global Atomic Energy Agency.

Netanyahu’s presentation, delivered on live TV from Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, did not appear to provide evidence that Iran has violated the 2015 deal, raising questions about whether it would sway global opinion ahead of Trump’s decision.

Speaking in English, perhaps with an global audience in mind, he says the material is filled with incriminating evidence showing the Iranian program, called “Project Amad”, was to develop a weapon.

Trump is facing a self imposed May 12 deadline to decide the fate of the nuclear deal. Other signatories, including Britain, France and Germany, have tried to convince Mr Trump to stay in the agreement.