WASHINGTON (Dispatches) – U.S. President Donald Trump has not yet made a decision on whether to sign an Iran sanctions waiver later this month, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday.
But Sanders said the administration is keeping "our options open" as far as sanctions against Iran are concerned, particularly after riots in the country.
Trump faces a mid-January deadline when he must decide about renewing temporary waivers for U.S. sanctions against Iran. The renewal of those waivers -- which provide relief from U.S. sanctions not set to expire for several years -- must occur every 120 days under the terms of the agreement.
"We certainly keep our options open in terms of sanctions. In terms of signing a waiver later in January, the President hasn't made a final decision on that," Sanders said. "He's going to keep every option on the table."
Trump waived the sanctions at the last deadline, but has since decertified Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement, raising questions about whether the U.S. will continue to extend sanctions relief stemming from the deal to Iran.
Trump must also decide this month once again whether to certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement or not. The administration has said it is seeking new legislation through Congress to end the perpetual certification process every 90 days, but nothing has yet to come out of Capitol Hill on that front.
Sanders also echoed Trump's support for riots in Iran but declined to say whether the White House supports regime change in Iran, cautiously fielding questions on the topic.