US seeks UK solidarity to push new Iran nuclear deal
▶ Ambassador urges Britain to exert diplomatic influence against Tehran
The US issued a public call to Britain to back its economic and political campaign against Iran in punishment for proxy wars and “malign activities” abroad.
US ambassador to London, Woody Johnson, said the UK should use its “considerable diplomatic power and influence” to secure a new nuclear deal to curtail Iran’s ambitions.
US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action three months ago despite lobbying from the UK, European powers, Russia and China, who backed the deal agreed to under Barack Obama’s presidency.
The UK has made it clear that it opposed Mr Trump’s move, one of several foreign policy disagreements that have strained relations between the two long-term allies.
In co-ordination with the European powers, the UK has continued to work to enable companies to trade with Iran, even as Mr Trump has imposed new sanctions and warned of the dangers of doing business with the country.
Mr Johnson made clear in a UK newspaper column at the weekend that he wanted Britain to split from the European bloc to work with the US on a package of anti-Iranian sanctions.
He said Iran had squandered the economic benefit from the 2015 nuclear deal to increase military spending and expand its terrorist networks.
“The Iranian regime is spending billions of dollars publicly stated its quest to destroy Israel.”
Mr Johnson said the Trump government spent the past year talking to its closest ally Britain to try to fix the nuclear agreement.
“The only sensible course of action was to rip it up and build a lasting agreement on more solid foundations,” he wrote.
“Until then, America is turning up the pressure and we want the UK by our side. It is time to move on from the flawed 2015 deal.
“We are asking Britain to use its considerable diplomatic power and influence and join us as we lead a concerted global effort towards a genuinely comprehensive agreement.”
The UK’s Middle East Minister, Alistair Burt, last week ruled out Britain going along with the US policy.
to destabilise the region. It is backing [president Bashar Al] Assad’s atrocities against the Syrian people,” he wrote in The Sunday Telegraph.
“It is launching cyber attacks against western democracies. It is sponsoring Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. It is arming militants in Yemen. It has America is turning up the pressure and we want the UK by our side. It is time to move on from the flawed 2015 deal WOODY JOHNSON US Ambassador to the UK