Macron expects Trump to drop Iran nuclear deal

Emmanuel Macron has conceded that his attempt to persuade United States President Donald Trump to support the Iran nuclear agreement may have ended in failure.

The French president used his three-day trip to Washington to tell Trump the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action, is in everyone’s interests.

But, as he headed home, he slammed Trump’s flip-flopping on international agreements and said there was a “big risk” he will abandon it.

The Guardian newspaper said Macron told US reporters: “My view — I don’t know what your president will decide — is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons.”

Macron said the abandonment of international agreements, such as the Paris climate change accord, can work in the short term but are “very insane in the medium to long term”.

Trump has until May 12 to make a decision on the Iran nuclear accord, which is aimed at preventing Teheran from acquiring nuclear weapons in return for an easing of sanctions against the country.

The US president has described the deal thrashed out by predecessor Barack Obama as “insane” and “ridiculous”, in part because restrictions begin to expire in 2025.

In January, he signed a waiver suspending US sanctions against Iran for 120 days but said it would be the last time he did so. The next waiver is due to be signed on May 12.

The nuclear deal had the support of the US, Iran, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and Germany when it was struck in 2015. The BBC said the other parties all want it to continue.

Teheran’s response

Agence France-Presse reported on Thursday that President Hassan Rouhani of Iran has said it should not be renegotiated.

Rouhani described Trump as “a trader, a businessman” and noted “you have no expertise in politics, nor in law, nor in international accords”, AFP reported.

Iran has warned it will ramp up its nuclear enrichment efforts if Trump scraps the accord, Trump has said it will face “big problems” if it does.

Trump has also said a “bigger” deal is possible, but that it must be built on “solid” foundations.

AFP said Europe, Iran, and Russia are all trying to convince Trump not to abandon the landmark 2015 deal.

CNN reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to take up the cause on Friday when she begins a visit to Washington.

“The biggest priority is maintaining the existing nuclear accord,” said German Foreign Ministry Spokesman Rainer Breul ahead of the trip.

“It was negotiated by seven countries and the EU and can’t be renegotiated by one or other party.”