Trump Withdraws from the Nuclear Deal (2018)

On May 8, 2018, President Donald Trump announced the United States would unilaterally withdraw from the JCPOA nuclear deal — despite Iran's verified compliance with the agreement, confirmed by every IAEA quarterly report since implementation began in January 2016.

The "Maximum Pressure" Campaign

Trump reimposed all sanctions that had been lifted under the JCPOA, plus new ones. The strategy, branded "maximum pressure," aimed to force Iran back to the negotiating table for a "better deal" that would also address missiles and regional activities.

The sanctions devastated Iran's economy: oil exports collapsed from 2.5 million barrels/day to under 200,000. The Iranian rial lost 80% of its value. Inflation soared. Ordinary Iranians suffered — especially access to imported medicines.

Iran's Response

Iran initially maintained JCPOA compliance for a year, hoping European partners (UK, France, Germany) could create alternative trade mechanisms. Those efforts — including the INSTEX payment channel — largely failed under US pressure.

Starting in May 2019, Iran began incrementally reducing its commitments: exceeding enrichment limits, resuming enrichment at Fordow, installing advanced centrifuges. By 2022, Iran was enriching uranium to 60% — far beyond the 3.67% JCPOA limit and close to the 90% weapons-grade threshold.

The Path to War

The withdrawal destroyed the diplomatic framework that had constrained Iran's nuclear program. Maximum pressure did not bring Iran back to the table — it pushed Iran to accelerate the very capabilities the JCPOA had limited. This escalation directly contributed to the conditions that led to the February 2026 strikes.