With sanctions returning, Trump open to Iran pact
HINTS AT CHINA TRADE DEAL
WASHINGTON: The US is open to a “new, more comprehensive deal” with Iran, President Donald Trump has said before the final round of sanctions go into effect from Monday, hitting its crude oil exports, shipping, ports and its financial system.
The new deal that the US is offering blocks forever Iran’s path to nuclear weapons, enjoins upon it to give up its ballistic missiles programme and end “malign activities” in the region.
“We call on the regime to abandon its nuclear ambitions, change its destructive behaviour, respect the rights of its people, and return in good faith to the negotiating table,” Trump said in a statement, adding the US “remains open to reaching a new, more comprehensive deal”.
Trump had pulled the United States out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in May, calling it the worst deal in history. On Friday, he called it “horrible, one-sided “and “disastrous”. On Monday, the US withdrawal from that deal will be complete, with sanctions back in place.
As a major buyer of Iranian crude, India has been negotiations with the US for exemption from secondary impact from the sanctions as it reduces its orders. It has also sought relief from curbs on Chabahar port in Iran which it has helped develop and uses as a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The US announced on Friday it WASHINGTON: President Trump said he will likely make a deal with China on trade, adding that a lot of progress had been made to resolve the two countries’ differences but warning he still may impose more tariffs on Chinese goods.
“China very much wants to make a deal,” Trump told reporters just hours after his top economic adviser expressed caution about talk of a possible trade agreement. “We’ve had a very good discussions with China, we’re getting much closer to doing something,” Trump said. “I spoke with President Xi (Jinping) yesterday. They very much want to make a deal.” “I think we’ll make a deal with China, and I think it will be a very fair deal for everybody.” Trump said he will discuss trade with Xi when they meet for dinner on the sidelines of the G20 summit. had agreed to grant waivers to eight countries that, it said, had started reducing their purchases. The list will be announced on Monday, when the full sanctions take effect, along with other details such as entities and individuals to be sanctioned. India is on the list, US officials have indicated. But it will be under pressure to buy less from Iran.