Macron by his side, Trump calls Iran nuclear deal ‘a disaster’

The United States President has repeatedly spoken of walking out of the nuclear deal with Iran, inked three years ago by his predecessor Barack Obama, and Iran, Europe, Russia and China.

United States President Donald Trump pilloried the Iran nuclear deal as “a disaster” and “insane” as he hosted French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office on Tuesday, puncturing a carefully choreographed display of pomp and camaraderie.

Emmanuel Macron (right) is in Washington to convince Donald Trump not to walk away from the nuclear deal with Iran. (Reuters)

The US leader groused that the accord — inked three years ago by the United States, Iran, Europe, Russia and China — does nothing to tackle Tehran’s ballistic missiles programme or support for militant groups across the Middle East.

Macron is in Washington, in part, to convince Trump not to walk away from the deal and scuttle years-worth of hard won diplomatic gains. Trump faces a May 12 deadline to decide on the fate of the accord.