Trump ‘open to talk’ despite Iran sanctions

US President Donald Trump said he was still open to negotiating “a new, more comprehensive deal with Iran” even as he ordered a severe new round of sanctions to come into force at midnight tonight.

Trump, who pulled America out of the Iran nuclear agreement, said he would lift sanctions if Iran agreed to a broader deal that restricted not only its nuclear programme but also its policies across the Middle East.

“Our objective is to force the regime into a clear choice: either abandon its destructive behaviour or continue down the path toward economic disaster,” Mr Trump said in a statement.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, said “the world opposes every decision made by Trump”.

The EU, France, Germany and Britain — all cosignatories, along with Russia and China, to the nuclear deal with Iran — said in a joint statement that they “deeply regret” Trump’s decision to reimpose sanctions and remained committed to the nuclear agreement.

They said they would try to shield EU firms dealing with Iran from the threat of US sanctions.

Many Western companies have fled the Iranian market out of fear of being put on an American blacklist, but the EU has set up a financial mechanism designed to let them continue doing business. The mechanism is not yet operational and it remains to be seen if many firms will take the risk.