Merkel, Chinese premier defend Iran deal, free trade

BEIJING: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang defended the Iran nuclear deal yesterday, with Li hinting that terminating the pact would complicate negotiations with North Korea.

Merkel and Li showed a united front on Iran and free trade – two issues that have seen high-profile interventions by US President Donald Trump – during their meeting at the opulent Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li warned that ending the agreement with Tehran ‘will not just impact Iran, but also have a negative impact on (the ability) to solve other hot international issues through peaceful negotiations’.

He did not mention North Korea by name, but analysts have warned that Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran deal dented Washington’s negotiating credibility ahead of his scheduled meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month.

The German leader also sounded the alarm about the economic impact on Europe of Trump’s move to quit the Iran agreement.

Trump’s decision to reimpose sanctions on Tehran, despite pleas from allies to maintain the deal, could hit European firms that have done business with Iran since the 2015 accord was signed.

If European companies pull out or shrink operations in Iran fearing US sanctions, it would ‘create an opportunity for businesses in other countries to step in and play a greater role’, Merkel said. — AFP