CIA chief warns Trump that scrapping Iran deal would be 'height of folly'

Outgoing CIA director John Brennan has said it would be the "height of folly" for US President-elect Donald Trump to tear up Washington's deal with Tehran, because it would make it more likely that Iran and others would acquire nuclear weapons.

"It could lead to a weapons program inside of Iran that could lead other states in the region to embark on their own programmes," Brennan said in an interview with the BBC aired on Wednesday.

"So I think it would be the height of folly if the next administration were to tear up that agreement."

In his campaign, Trump threatened to scrap the Iran deal and also hinted at working more closely with Russia. Advisers to Trump have said he plans to strictly police the Iran nuclear deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which the 45th commander in-chief has referred to as one of the worst ever negotiated in history.

Following Trump's election, Iran urged him to remain committed to the international deal.

Brennan also advised the new President to be wary of Russia's promises, blaming Moscow for much of the suffering in Syria.

“Russia is a country that will pursue its national interests frequently to the detriment of the interests of the peoples of countries where it operates,” he said. “So I think President elect Trump and the administration need to be wary of Russian promises. Russian promises in my mind have not given us what they have pledged.”

Brennan will step down from his post in January after four years leading the CIA.

Trump has indicated he wants to work more closely on a number of issues with Russia, including the conflict in Syria. The US currently backs Kurdish and Syrian Democratic Forces in the war there. But Russia is backing the authoritarian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, putting it in direct conflict with US objectives.

The administration of President Barack Obama has pursued a policy of supporting moderate rebels fighting the Assad regime in Syria. The CIA director said that he believed the US needed to continue that support to help rebels withstand what he called an "onslaught" carried out by Syria, Iran, Hezbollah and Russia.

Brennan offered a bleak assessment of the situation in Syria arguing that both the Syrian regime and the Russians were responsible for a slaughter of civilians which he described as "outrageous".

Russia continued to hold the key to Syria's future, he said, but he expressed scepticism about its willingness to come to any kind of deal. He said Moscow had been "disingenuous" in their negotiating tactics, seeking to draw the process out in order to "choke" Aleppo.

"I do not have confidence that the Russians are going to relent until they are able to achieve as much tactical battlefield successes as possible," he said.