Trump warns Iran of nuclear ‘consequences’

Fears grow over Middle East confrontation as UK and EU rush to protect threatened business deals

Donald Trump yesterday warned Iran of “very severe consequences” if it restarted its nuclear programme, as EU leaders moved to protect businesses that could be affected by America’s reimposition of sanctions. Mr Trump said Iran would soon “find out” what happens if it started enriching uranium again. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, said the president would be “food of the worms” long before the regime fell. Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, challenged the US to come up with alternative options.

DONALD TRUMP yesterday warned Iran of “very severe consequences” if it restarted its nuclear programme as allies scrambled to save the nuclear deal after the United States’ withdrawal.

Amid growing fears of confrontation following Mr Trump’s decision, the US president said Iran would soon “find out” what happens if it started enriching uranium again.

The threat came as Middle Eastern leaders ramped up heated rhetoric and the European Union scrambled to protect businesses affected by the reimposition of US sanctions on Iran.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, said that Mr Trump would be “food of the worms and ants” long before the regime fell, while politicians burned the US flag and chanted “death to America!”.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, claimed that its longtime adversary Iran was preparing an “attack” as ex-intelligence sources expressed fears that Iran could now develop a nuclear bomb.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, challenged the US administration to come up with an alternative to the nuclear deal and pledged that the UK would not “walk away” from its commitments.

EU leaders faced fears that tens of billions of dollars of trade with Iran could be affected by the return of US sanctions. France threatened to take the US to the World Trade Organisation, which can settle disputes and allow members to impose sanctions. The EU could also reactivate a “blocking” legislation to deny US sanctions on firms doing business with Iran – the kind of which was last used in 1996.

Mr Trump on Tuesday made good on his campaign pledge to pull out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which waived sanctions in return for the regime curbing its nuclear programme.

Iran has agreed to remain in the deal for now alongside the other signatories – the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China – with urgent talks between the countries already under way.

However, Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, warned that the country would begin enriching uranium again if the financial benefits of the deal for Iran could not be retained.

Speaking in the White House yesterday, Mr Trump said: “I would advise A US flag is burnt in Iran’s parliament yesterday in a show of defiance Iran not to start their nuclear programme. If they do there will be very severe consequences.”

Mr Trump did not elaborate, but he has previously talked up his willingness to use military force to stop North Korea’s nuclear programme and punish the Syrian regime for using chemical weapons. John Bolton, Mr Trump’s recently appointed national security adviser, said in 2015 that “only military action” against Iran could stop its nuclear programme and has previously backed regime change.

Alistair Burt, the Middle East minister, yesterday sought to play down fears that the US could launch an attack on Iran, saying there was a need to “de-escalate tensions”.

The reaction to Mr Trump’s decision on Iran, where Mr Rouhani is under pressure from hardliners to prove the merit of abiding by the agreement, was visibly hostile in places.

Mr Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, told Mr Trump: “You cannot do a damn thing”, and claimed there had been “over 10 lies” in the US president’s speech.

Iran’s supreme leader added: “The body of this man, Trump, will turn to ashes and become the food of the worms and ants, while the Islamic Republic continues to stand.” In Iran’s parliament, politicians including a Shia cleric set fire to a US flag and a piece of paper representing the deal. US flag burning is common in Iran but many analysts observed it was the first time they had seen it taking place inside parliament.

Mr Netanyahu claimed yesterday that Iran was “trying to transfer forces and deadly weapons” into Syria with the “goal of attacking the state of Israel”.

In the UK and the rest of the EU, ministers and officials were attempting to keep the deal alive to ensure businesses could continue trading with Iran.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Johnson said: “For as long as Iran abides by the agreement … then Britain will remain a party to [it]. Britain has no intention of walking away.” The total trade in goods and services between Iran and the UK was £365million in 2016. A government spokesman said Britain “continues to fully support expanding our trade relationship with Iran”.

‘Trump will turn to ashes and become the food of the worms … while the Islamic Republic continues to stand’