And as we know, the IAEA was never able to certify that Iran was in compliance because they were yanking their chain as well.

The reason that it looks to you like Trump was making stuff up in previous deals is because the Iranians kept lying and reneging. They are trying to buy time because they know that their unofficial allies, the Democrat Party, is working to undermine all Trump efforts from within his own country.

These are the people to whom you released pallets of cash, and then blithely went along as the IAEA continued to be unable to verify all expectations.