Trump warns Iran against restarting nuclear program
Under the deal, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear ambitions in return for relief from economic sanctions
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Tuesday not to follow through with threats to restart its nuclear program, as he and French President Emmanuel Macron struggled to find common ground on saving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Meeting Macron in the Oval Office after a colourful welcome ceremony in honour of the French leader, Trump heaped scorn on the nuclear accord negotiated by his predecessor, former president Barack Obama, and aimed at stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Iran has said it will ramp up its nuclear program if the deal collapses and a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday that Tehran might quit a treaty designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons if Trump scraps the agreement.
“If they restart their nuclear program, they will have bigger problems than they have ever had before,” Trump said.
Trump called the agreement a “terrible deal” that was “insane” and “ridiculous” because it did not deal with ballistic missiles or Iran’s activities in conflicts in places like Yemen or Syria.
“We made this terrible deal but we’re going to discuss it,” he said.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear ambitions in return for relief from economic sanctions. Tehran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful means. Macron came to Washington hoping to persuade Trump to keep the United States in the Iran agreement, saying it offered the best chance to constrain Tehran, imperfect as it may be.
He told Trump the accord is part of a “broader picture” of security in region.
“On Iran, we must contextualize this subject within the challenges of the region. There is the situation in Syria, there is security in the entire region and I think, in any case, we share a common goal of avoiding an escalation and proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region. So the question is what is the best path,” Macron said.
European calls for exemptions from Trump’s plan for 25 per cent tariffs on steel imports are also on their agenda, as well as the US president’s desire to withdraw US forces from Syria as soon as practicable.
Macron, whose visit will be followed by one on Friday from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has called on Trump to keep troops in Syria for the time being to ensure the defeat of IS militants.
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