Fate of Iran Deal Now in Europe's Hands: Obama Advisor

Rob Malley, the conflict resolution specialist and former advisor to Barack Obama who helped negotiate the Iran nuclear accord, has no doubt that Donald Trump will now try to kill it.

The US president is expected to announce on Tuesday that he will re-impose economic sanctions on Tehran—effectively pulling the US out—but that does not mean the deal is dead and buried.

Malley, now the head of the International Crisis Group peace-building think tank, said in an interview that the 2015 agreement's original European backers must try to keep Tehran inside the deal.

Through his constant attacks on the "terrible" agreement, Trump has shifted the narrative away from the prior international consensus that the deal has successfully curtailed Iran's nuclear ambitions.

But Malley, who served on Obama's White House National Security Council, holds out hope that fellow deal signatories Britain, France and Germany can work with Tehran to keep the agreement alive.

And the agreement, he argued, remains critical to preventing Iran from resuming its alleged search for a nuclear weapon.

"This is the most comprehensive verification regime ever negotiated by a country other than one that's been defeated in war," Malley said in Washington on the eve of Trump's decision.

"If they do try to cheat, there are so many tripwires to know when they're cheating, where they're cheating... it would be discovered."

President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and British Prime Minister Theresa May have sought to "mollify" Trump by offering to negotiate tougher anti-Iran measures.

But they remained determined the Iran deal implementation mechanism—the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- must remain in place, even if a supplemental agreement is found.

Trump now seems unlikely to renew the US sanctions waivers that Obama announced as the US commitment under the JCPOA, but it is unclear whether Iran will seize on this to renew its nuclear program.

If Europe is willing to impose tougher penalties on Iran's ballistic missile program and regional military adventurism, Malley said, it is only because they want to preserve the underlying nuclear deal.

"It is a slight inflection, I won't deny that," he added. "And frankly, I think if what Trump wants is to be able to claim victory he could do that."

Perpetual Uncertainty

"He could say 'without me, Europe never would have cared so much about Iran's ballistic missiles program, never would have cared so much about its regional behavior.'" 

Malley said Trump is bent on undoing whatever foreign policy legacy Obama has, and fails to understand that pressure without compromise will not curtail Iran's other provocations.

"Either Trump will walk away from the deal or he will stick with the deal for another period and say I'm going to postpone my decision. I'm going to wait for the Europeans to fix it," Malley predicted.

"That's going to perpetuate all the uncertainty that currently surrounds the deal. That's going to make it very unlikely for businesses to invest in Iran."

"It's clear that the US is in the mode of killing the deal." Malley's International Crisis Group, therefore, has been urging the Europeans to shift their attention from Trump and to work instead on convincing an angry Tehran not to break its end of the bargain.

"It's going to be a very tough endeavor," he said. "What we try to do... is to say here are steps that the European can take mitigate the harm of the reimposition of US sanctions."

Smaller EU businesses that do not have investments in the United States that could be exposed to renewed US sanctions, could work together to do business with Iran, he suggested.

Economic Dividends

"It's not easy but that's the effort the Europeans need to be engaged in and Iranians too," Malley said. 

Such trade, he added, could show "why preserving this deal is better for Europe and it's better for Iran even if the economic dividends of the deal that Iran expected to get they're not going to see now."

And he has a message for the Iranians: "Isn't it better to have some kind of continued commercial and trade relations with Europe and have the US being isolated, than have you isolated and have the Europeans and the Americans on your case?

"Because the truth is if tomorrow the US reimposes the sanctions and the Iranian response is 'We're leaving the deal too,' Europe won't have the choice," Malley warned.

"They may blame president Trump (but) they will reimpose sanctions on Iran if Iran resumes its nuclear program."

Photo Credit: APB

Trump Set to Announce Iran Sanctions Move That May Kill Nuclear Deal

President Donald Trump will confirm on Tuesday whether he will make good on a threat to re-impose US sanctions on Tehran and thereby throw the entire Iran nuclear deal into question.

Trump's announcement that a decision was imminent cut short a last-ditch European diplomatic drive to save the accord ahead of what had been a May 12 deadline.

Trump had until Saturday to decide whether to renew a waiver on one package of US sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector that had been lifted as part of Washington's commitment under the 2015 deal.

"I will be announcing my decision on the Iran Deal tomorrow from the White House at 2:00 pm (1800 GMT)," the president said in a tweet. The president may now also decide to announce the fate of the rest of Washington's nuclear-related sanctions, which are covered by different waivers, and effectively undermine the entire accord, reached between Tehran and six world powers.

European leaders and diplomats—including Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who was in Washington on Monday—have been pleading with the United States to retain the core of what Trump called the "flawed" accord.

Mixed Signals

And even if, as now seems inevitable, Trump pulls Washington out of the agreement, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China may decide to stay in and to urge Tehran to maintain its own commitments.

But if Trump's decision raises the prospect of renewed US sanctions on European firms and banks doing business with Iran, the accord itself will be in peril—amid mixed signals from Tehran.

Some Iranian leaders have signaled they might seek to rapidly restore the enrichment capabilities they surrendered under the deal, and European capitals fear Tehran may resume the hunt for a bomb.

Tehran has long insisted it has no ambition to build nuclear weapons, but the signatories to the deal never believed them, and supporters of the accord have warned of a Middle East arms race if it fails.

And they are skeptical that Trump's administration has a back-up plan to restrain Iranian ambitions once he has made good on his campaign promise to tear up a deal endorsed by his predecessor Barack Obama.

Britain's Johnson, who was in Washington to lobby Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence, told Fox News: "Plan B does not seem to be, to me, particularly well-developed at this stage."

Given the multinational nature of the deal, nothing the so-called EU three—Britain, France and Germany—can do would allow them to rewrite it, but they have promised to work on a powerful supplemental agreement.

US diplomats have been working furiously with their partners in the three countries to make this a reality, with measures to limit Iran's ballistic missile program and regional subversion.

But so far, all signs point to Trump making good on his threat.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned the accord's collapse could spark "an escalation" in the region and stressed that Washington's European allies think the deal "makes the world a safer place."

His French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, on a visit to Berlin, said the agreement is "the right way to stop Iran from getting access to nuclear weapons" and "will save us from nuclear proliferation."

Sunset Clauses

Under the landmark nuclear pact, Iran agreed to scale back nuclear enrichment and put its program under international supervision in return for international sanctions relief.

Trump has consistently complained about the agreement, reached under Obama, citing as its shortcomings certain clauses such as the "sunset" provisions lifting some nuclear restrictions on Tehran from 2025.

In an attempt to salvage the deal, French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed to extend its scope to address this issue, as well as Iran's missile capabilities and its role in the region.

Iran's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in Syria's civil war and Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen have added to tension between Tehran and Western powers.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday issued a strong warning to the United States not to quit the pact.

"If the United States leaves the nuclear agreement, you will soon see that they will regret it like never before in history," Rouhani said.

He also vehemently reiterated his country's opposition to curtailing its non-nuclear missile capabilities, insisting Tehran "will build as many missiles and weapons as needed."

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

Iran Warns US It Would Regret Quitting Nuclear Deal

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned that if the United States quits the nuclear deal then Washington will regret it "like never before", as British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson scrambles to save the agreement during talks with the Trump administration Monday.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw from the agreement when it comes up for renewal on May 12, demanding his country's European allies "fix the terrible flaws" or he will re-impose sanctions.

"If the United States leaves the nuclear agreement, you will soon see that they will regret it like never before in history," reformist Rouhani said in a televised speech in northwestern Iran.

"Trump must know that our people are united, the Zionist regime (Israel) must know that our people are united," Rouhani said.

"Today all (Iran's) political factions, whether they be from the right, the left, the conservatives, reformers and moderates are united," he added.

The nuclear deal was struck in 2015 between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, then led by Barack Obama.

Under the pact, sanctions were eased in return for a commitment not to pursue a nuclear bomb, but Iran says it is not reaping the rewards despite complying with the deal.

A senior Israeli official said Sunday that Trump had not informed Israel of whether it will withdraw from the agreement.

"In effect, I don't know what Trump will decide because he hasn't told me," the official said on condition of anonymity, making clear Israel had not yet been told of Trump's decision.

Trump has consistently complained about the agreement, citing perceived flaws including "sunset" provisions lifting some nuclear restrictions from 2025.

In an attempt to salvage the deal, French President Emmanuel Macron has recently pushed to extend its scope to address this issue, as well as the absence of any limits on Iran's conventional missile capabilities and Tehran's role in the region.

Britain's Johnson will on Monday begin a two-day visit to Washington, with the nuclear deal among issues on top of the agenda, the Foreign Office said.

He is due to meet US Vice President Mike Pence, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Congressional foreign policy leaders.

He said Britain—which remains committed to the agreement—the United States and Europe were "united in our effort to tackle the kind of Iranian behavior that makes the Middle East region less secure—its cyber activities, its support for groups like Hezbollah, and its dangerous missile program".

Iran's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, via the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in Syria's civil war, and its backing for Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen have added to frictions between Tehran and Western powers.

 'Honouring our Commitment'

Rouhani vehemently reiterated his country's opposition to curtailing its non-nuclear missile capabilities, in his speech on Sunday.

Tehran "will build as many missiles and weapons as needed" for its defense, he said.

"We are honoring our commitment, but we are telling the whole world we will not negotiate with anyone about our weapons and our defense."

Iran's president also said that while he is open to discussing the
country's regional role, he would not abandon what he described as its fight
"against terrorism."

"We want to talk to the world so that our region is safe" but "we will not allow you to create a new Daesh," he said, using an Arabic term for the Islamic State group.

While Rouhani did not elaborate on this point, Iran's ally the Syrian government has consistently referred to all armed opponents as "terrorists" and accused the West of facilitating terrorism.

Iran has always denied it sought a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic program was for civilian purposes.

Rouhani did not specify how Iran would react if the US pulls out of the 2015 deal.

But he said he had given "the necessary orders", notably to Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, in anticipation of Trump's decision.

As the May 12 US decision point nears, Iranian leaders have shuffled between placatory and hawkish comments, although the hardliners have taken a uncompromising stance.

On Thursday Ali Akbar Velayati, the foreign policy adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Tehran would quit the nuclear deal if the United States withdraws.

Photo Credit: Kremlin

Iran Envoy to UK Warns it May Scrap Nuclear Deal if US Withdraws

Iran's ambassador to Britain said Tehran will consider walking away from the nuclear deal if the United States withdraws from the agreement, in an interview aired Wednesday.

Hamid Baeidinejad, the country's top envoy in London, said Iran would "be ready to go back to the previous situation" if America pulls out of the 2015 pact, as threatened by US President Donald Trump.

"When the United States is out of the deal, it means that there is no deal left," he told CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

"Because (an) important party of the treaty has abrogated and violated in clear terms the treaty."

Trump is reportedly poised to scrap the agreement, negotiated in 2015 between Tehran and six world powers, ahead of a May 12 deadline for Washington to renew its support for the deal.

The agreement imposes strict restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in return for the loosening of economic sanctions.

Baeidinejad said Tehran was exploring various responses to such a move from the US—including restarting nuclear activities.

"It could be enriching uranium, it could be redefining our cooperation with the agency and some other activities that are under consideration," he added.

"That is something very real, in fact very realistic." The ambassador denied Iran would restart any nuclear weapons production.

The country has always denied it sought a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic program was for civilian purposes.

European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have been pressing Trump to strengthen rather than abandon the three-year-old deal that took more than a decade to reach.

Macron, who met Trump in Washington last week to try to convince him to not walk away, admitted Wednesday he still did not know what decision the US leader would take.

Trump has pilloried the agreement designed to curb Iran's nuclear program as "insane" and "ridiculous" and called for fresh measures to counter Iran's ballistic missile program and support for militant groups across the Middle East.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had new "proof" of an Iranian nuclear weapons plan that could be activated at any time.

Baeidinejad said international observers' final assessment ahead of the 2015 agreement contradicted Israel's claims.

Photo Credit: Mehr

Israel Claims 'Underline Importance' of Iran Nuclear Deal: UK

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's presentation on Iran's nuclear program "underlines the importance" of the controls imposed on Tehran in the 2015 deal, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Tuesday.

"The Israeli prime minister's presentation on Iran's past research into nuclear weapons technology underlines the importance of keeping the Iran nuclear deal's constraints on Tehran's nuclear ambitions," Johnson said in a Foreign Office statement.

With US President Donald Trump weighing up whether to stay in the deal, Johnson insisted that the agreement was not "based on trust about Iran's intentions"—the core of Netanyahu's claims—"rather it is based on tough verification" by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

 "The fact that Iran conducted sensitive research in secret until 2003 shows why we need the intrusive inspections allowed by the Iran nuclear deal today," added Johnson. 

The 2015 deal negotiated between Iran and six world powers, including Britain, imposes nuclear inspections on Iran in return for the loosening of economic sanctions, but Trump is threatening to pull out.

Johnson insisted that the verification provisions in the deal "would make it harder for Iran to restart any such research."

"That is another good reason for keeping the deal while building on it in order to take account of the legitimate concerns of the US and our other allies," he added.

The Israeli premier has repeatedly called for the deal to be either altered or scrapped, but did not present evidence on Monday that Iran had actively worked to obtain an atomic weapon since the deal was struck.

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

Netanyahu's Iran Nuke Claims Fail to Convince Deal Proponents

Israel began sharing an intelligence trove on Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions Tuesday, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced accusations his televised unveiling of it lacked evidence a 2015 accord had been violated.

The IAEA, the United Nations atomic watchdog, said it would evaluate any new relevant information, but cited its assessment from three years ago that it had no "credible indications" of an Iranian nuclear weapons pursuit after 2009.

Netanyahu's elaborate presentation live on television Monday night came ahead of a crucial decision by US President Donald Trump by May 12 on whether to withdraw from the nuclear agreement between world powers and Iran.

The Israeli premier said tens of thousands of documents recently recovered by intelligence operatives in Tehran proved his country's main enemy Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program it could put into action at any time.

But the presentation that included props, video and slides immediately led to accusations from some that the White House and Netanyahu coordinated it as Trump considers whether to pull out of the nuclear deal he has harshly criticized.

Some analysts and proponents of the nuclear agreement also said Netanyahu had presented previously known details and failed to produce evidence that showed Iran was not abiding by the accord.

"I have not seen from Prime Minister Netanyahu arguments for the moment on non-compliance, meaning violation by Iran of its nuclear commitments under the deal," European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said.

"And again, the deal was put in place exactly because there was no trust between the parties, otherwise we would not have required a nuclear deal to be put in place."

France's foreign ministry said Tuesday Netanyahu's claims reinforced the importance of the nuclear deal.

'Infamous Liar'

Iran lashed out at Netanyahu, with foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi on Tuesday calling him an "infamous liar."

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said immediately after the presentation that Netanyahu was "the boy who cries wolf."

Trump however welcomed Netanyahu's presentation, as did his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who met with the Israeli leader on Sunday in Tel Aviv.

The White House caused some confusion with its statement on the Israeli trove, at first saying it showed Iran "has" a secret nuclear weapons program before later changing it to "had".

"These facts are consistent with what the United States has long known: Iran had a robust, clandestine nuclear weapons program that it has tried and failed to hide from the world and from its own people," the statement said. 

"The Iranian regime has shown it will use destructive weapons against its neighbors and others. Iran must never have nuclear weapons."

Trump and his Middle East allies, particularly Israel, argue that the agreement approved by Barack Obama was too weak and needs to be replaced with a more permanent arrangement and supplemented by controls on Iran's missile program.

The Israeli premier has repeatedly called for the accord—which Iran signed with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States—to either be altered or scrapped.

In Monday night's presentation, Netanyahu accused Iran of lying about its nuclear ambitions, saying Israel had recently obtained tens of thousands of files in a "great intelligence achievement."

Iran has always denied it sought a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic program was for civilian purposes.

Netanyahu said the files had been moved to a secret compound in Tehran in 2017 that looked dilapidated from the outside.

'Half a Tonne'

The material obtained weighed a half a tonne, he said, speaking in English in the staged presentation in front of a bookcase laden with binders he said held copies of original documents and cases of CDs.

He detailed an alleged program—"Project Amad"—that he said Iran was forced to shelve in 2003, but kept ready to put into action at any time while improving its "know-how".

He alleged the 2015 nuclear deal was "based on Iranian lies and Iranian deception."

"Even after the deal, Iran continued to preserve and expand its nuclear weapons know-how for future use," Netanyahu added.

Pompeo, until last week director of the CIA, called the intelligence trove authentic and said much of it was new to US experts.

But others argued it failed to show the nuclear accord was a "terrible deal," as Netanyahu called it, with some saying his presentation in fact furthered the case for the agreement.

"The information in the documents Netanyahu revealed is not new," Dan Shapiro, US ambassador to Israel under Obama, said on Twitter, echoing the reactions of many other proponents of the deal.

But he added that Netanyahu's presentation will be "useful to Trump when he announces he is leaving the deal by May 12. I believe he has already made that decision. This presentation, coordinated with his team, will be cited as evidence to justify it."

Photo Credit: Israeli PM

France says Iran Nuclear Deal Strengthened by Netanyahu Claims

France said Tuesday that new claims about Iran's nuclear program presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reinforced the importance of a 2015 deal that imposes controls on the Islamic republic.

In an elaborate televised presentation on Monday, the hawkish Israeli leader claimed he had new "proof" via captured documents that Iran had developed a nuclear weapons plan which could be activated at any time.

The French foreign ministry said the details needed to be "studied and evaluated" but a spokesperson added that the evidence appeared to confirm what European powers had known for more than a decade and half.

"At first sight, they (the details) confirm that part of the Iranian nuclear program, as France and its partners stated during the first revelations in the summer of 2002, was not civilian," said the spokesperson in a statement received by AFP.

The 2015 nuclear deal negotiated between Iran and six world powers imposes nuclear inspections on Iran in return for the loosening of economic sanctions, but US President Donald Trump is threatening to pull out.

"The pertinence of the deal is reinforced by the details presented by Israel: all activity linked to the development of a nuclear weapon is permanently forbidden by the deal," said the foreign ministry spokesperson.

"The inspection regime put in place by the (UN nuclear watchdog) IAEA thanks to the deal is one of the most exhaustive and the most robust in the history of nuclear non-proliferation," the statement added.

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Trump to stick with the nuclear accord, arguing that it presents the only viable option available to the international community.

Besides agreeing to snap inspections Iran also cut the number of centrifuges used for enriching uranium and reduced its stockpiles of the material.

The Israeli premier has repeatedly called for the deal—which Iran signed with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States—to be either altered or scrapped.

Netanyahu did not present evidence on Monday that Iran had actively worked to obtain an atomic weapon since the 2015 agreement and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) considers the country to be complying. Trump is set to make announcement on May 12.

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

Iran Leader Keen to Boost Ties With World, 'Not Merely' US and Europe

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that Iran is keen to develop ties with the rest of the world, which is "not merely" the United States and European countries.

The powerful leader's remarks, published on the khamenei.ir website, come with the United States threatening to quit a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with the Islamic republic.

"I don't believe in cutting ties with the world but relying on the outside of the borders is a mistake within a mistake," Khamenei was quoted as saying.

"We must certainly be wise, smart and resolute in our relations with the world, but we should also know that the world is not merely America and several European countries.

"The world is big and (we) must have relations with different countries," he added, according to extracts of a speech he gave in Tehran published on his website.

Khamenei is also quoted as blasting the US Treasury Department, denouncing it as an "economic war chamber against the system of the Islamic republic."

Since taking office in January 2017, US President Donald Trump has adopted a tough stance against Iran and repeatedly denounced the landmark nuclear deal which Tehran reached with world powers to curb its nuclear program.

Trump has said the deal—which Iran signed with Britain, France, China, Russia, the United States and Germany—must be "fixed" by May 12 or Washington will walk away.

Most world powers however say the nuclear deal is working as intended for now and is the best way to keep Iran from acquiring the bomb.

During Sunday's speech, Khamenei also accused the United States of waging an "economic and cultural war" against Iran, according to his website.

Photo Credit: Khamenei.ir

Netanyahu Says Has New 'Proof' of Iran Nuclear Weapons Program

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address Monday he had new "proof" of an Iranian nuclear weapons plan that could be activated at any time, as the US considers whether to pull out of the atomic accord with Tehran.

But while Netanyahu accused Israel's main enemy Iran of lying about its nuclear ambitions, he did not provide evidence that it had actively worked to obtain an atomic weapon since the 2015 agreement between Tehran and six world powers.

Iran has always denied it sought a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic program was for civilian purposes.

Netanyahu made the comments in an elaborate presentation that included props, video and slides, broadcast live on television from Tel Aviv.

He said Israel had obtained tens of thousands of files "a few weeks ago in a great intelligence achievement," saying they had been moved to a secret compound in Tehran in 2017 that looked dilapidated from the outside.

The material obtained weighed a half a ton, he said. As he spoke, binders that he said held copies of original documents were on shelves behind him, as were cases containing CDs.

"Tonight we're going to reveal new and conclusive proof of the secret nuclear weapons program that Iran has been hiding for years from the international community in its secret atomic archive," Netanyahu said.

"We're going to show you Iran's secret nuclear files." He then laid out what he said was a years-old secret nuclear weapons program stored away and which could be put into action at any time. The details have been shared with the United States and will also be given to other countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said.

'Boy Who Cries Wolf'

After Netanyahu's statement was announced but before he spoke, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif already dismissed it. "The boy who can't stop crying wolf is at it again," he wrote on Twitter. 

"You can only fool some of the people so many times." Zarif then took to twitter again to lambast both Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, who has a May 12 deadline to decide on whether or not to walk away from the nuclear deal.

Trump "is jumping on a rehash of old allegations already dealt with by the IAEA to 'nix' the (2015 nuclear) deal", Zarif tweeted.

"How convenient. Coordinated timing of alleged intelligence revelations by the boy who cries wolf just days before May 12," he added.

Trump has derided the nuclear deal with Iran as "insane" partly because its restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities begin expiring in 2025.

Most world powers however say the nuclear deal is working as intended for now and is the best way to keep Iran from acquiring the bomb.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany left Washington last week after talks with Trump which failed to secure any promise to keep the deal alive.

'Dominate the Middle East' 

The Israeli premier has repeatedly called for the accord—which Iran signed with Britain, France, China, Russia, the United States and Germany— to either be altered or scrapped.

He says the agreement does not prevent Tehran from eventually obtaining nuclear weapons and says the lifting of sanctions has increased Tehran's ability to finance proxy militants in the Middle East.

Netanyahu also wants to see curbs on Iran's missile program. On Monday, he said the nuclear deal was "based on Iranian lies and Iranian deception."

"Even after the deal, Iran continued to preserve and expand its nuclear weapons know-how for future use," Netanyahu said.

His presentation came after he met visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday and spoke with Trump by phone on Saturday. Pompeo reiterated during the visit that Trump will withdraw from the nuclear deal "if we can't fix it."

Trump and his Middle East allies argue the deal, approved by Barack Obama,  was too weak and needs to be replaced with a more permanent arrangement and supplemented by controls on Iran's missile program.

Pompeo, a former CIA chief and congressman, also joined Netanyahu in lashing out at Iran on Sunday. "Iran's ambition to dominate the Middle East remains," Pompeo said.

Rob Malley, a former official in Obama's administration, said on Twitter that "for those who have followed the Iranian nuclear file, there is nothing new in (Netanyahu's) presentation".

"All it does is vindicate need for the nuclear deal. But the Israeli prime minister has an audience of one: Trump. And he's unfortunately unlikely to reach the same conclusion."

Israel is considered the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed nation, though it has never acknowledged the capability.

Photo Credit: Kremlin

Putin, Macron Urge 'Strict' Observance of Iran Nuclear Accord: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and French leader Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for the "strict observance" of the current Iran nuclear accord, with US President Donald Trump still deciding whether to scrap the agreement.

"The Presidents of Russia and France spoke in favor of keeping the Plan and its strict observance," the Kremlin said, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. 

The statement was released after Macron called Putin to inform him of his talks with Trump in the United States.

Trump faces a May 12 deadline to decide on the fate of the Iran nuclear accord and is demanding changes that European capitals believe would represent a legal breach.

On Sunday, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said the mercurial US president had not yet decided whether to scrap the accord.

Macron, who held talks with Trump last week, has positioned himself as an emissary for European officials seeking a compromise that would keep the deal intact.

Macron has earlier proposed an additional deal that extends Iran's nuclear restrictions.

Russia has said that there was "no alternative" to the agreement and that Iran's position was on the issue was paramount.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani rejected any hopes of rewriting the nuclear deal.

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

Europe Backs Iran Deal as 'Best Way' to Counter Nuclear Threat

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have reiterated their commitment to the Iran nuclear deal "as the best way of neutralising the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran", Downing Street said Sunday.

Prime Minister Theresa May talked by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday and Sunday when they agreed the current deal also left out some "important elements," it said.

"Our priority as an international community remained preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon," it said.

"They agreed that there were important elements that the deal does not cover but which we need to address—including ballistic missiles, what happens when the deal expires, and Iran's destabilizing regional activity.

"They committed to continue working closely together and with the US on how to tackle the range of challenges that Iran poses—including those issues that a new deal might cover."

Both Macron and Merkel held talks in Washington this week with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to quit the 2015 pact with Iran negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama.

The pair tried to sell Trump on the idea of the deal being a stepping stone to a longer-term, broader agreement, pitching a "four pillars" solution.

The first column is Iran's nuclear program under the current accord. The others would target the country's nuclear activities after 2025 when so-called sunset clauses kick in, beef up global leverage against its regional influence and curtail its ballistic missile program.

US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Sunday that Trump had not yet decided whether or not to scrap the pact.

"He has made no decision on the nuclear deal, whether to stay in or get out," he told Fox News.

Photo Credit: 

'No Decision' by Trump on Iran Nuclear Deal: Bolton

US President Donald Trump has not decided whether or not to scrap the Iran nuclear deal, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Sunday.

"He has made no decision on the nuclear deal, whether to stay in or get out," Bolton told Fox News Sunday.

"He is certainly considering the framework, the four pillars that President (Emmanuel) Macron laid out in their meeting last week," said Bolton, referring to efforts to supplement the Iran deal with additional measures to make it more palatable to Trump.

In 2015 the United States, along with other nations, struck a deal with Iran to end a 12-year standoff over that country's nuclear program, which was feared to be leading towards an atomic weapons capability.

Iran agreed to freeze its nuclear program in return for the lifting of punishing international sanctions, but Trump has criticized the deal as not going far enough.

Britain, France and Germany—the three European countries that signed the Iran nuclear deal—are working to head off Trump's threat to walk away from the accord and reimpose sanctions.

Trump has called the existing accord "insane" and "ridiculous," in part because its restrictions start to expire in 2025.

French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed an additional deal that extends Iran's nuclear restrictions while also curbing its ballistic missile program and support for militias in the Middle East.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani rejected any hopes of rewriting the nuclear deal itself.

Photoe Credit: Wikicommons

Germany's Merkel Says Existing Iran Deal 'Not Sufficient' to Curb Iran Ambitions

AFP Correction: Headline corrected to remove reference to 'nuclear program' to better reflect original German speech. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, standing alongside President Donald Trump at the White House, said Friday that the existing international accord on Iran is not enough to curb the Islamic republic's regional ambitions. 

The so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed by Tehran and six world powers including Germany and the United States, is "a first step that has contributed to slowing down their activities in this particular respect," Merkel told reporters.

"But we also think from a German perspective that this is not sufficient in order to see to it that Iran's ambitions are curbed and contained." 

"Europe and the United States ought to be in lock step on this," she said.

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

'No Decision' Yet on Iran Deal: Mattis

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday said no decision had been made on whether the United States is going to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

President Donald Trump is due on May 12 to announce his decision about whether America will stay in the historic pact, as US and European diplomats work on a supplemental deal to address his concerns.

"I can assure you there has been no decision made on any withdrawal from JCPOA," Mattis said of the deal, which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

"The discussions are ongoing in the national security staff and those of us who are charged with that responsibility of giving the president advice. It's going on today as we speak," Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Though he thinks the deal is flawed, Mattis has previously said he supports America staying in it, telling lawmakers in October it is in the US national interest to do so.

But Mattis offered no such support Thursday. "There are obviously aspects of the JCPOA... that can be improved on. We are working with our European allies on it at this time, and again at this time the decision has not been made whether we can repair it enough to stay, or if the president if going to decide to withdraw from it," he said.

Trump, who campaigned on scrapping the Iran deal, has branded it as "insane" and the "worst" in history.

"This is a deal with decayed foundations. It's a bad deal, it's a bad structure. It's falling down," Trump said Tuesday. "We're going to see what happens on the 12th."

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

Merkel Heads for Tough Trump Talks on Trade, Iran Nuclear Deal

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits US President Donald Trump on Friday for a last-ditch European effort to prevent a transatlantic trade war and save the Iran nuclear deal.

Merkel's working trip is expected to be far more business-like than this week's pomp-filled state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has built a warm rapport with Trump despite stark policy differences.

Trump's lavish welcome for Macron, with hugs and much back-slapping, contrasted sharply with a tense White House event in March last year in which Trump appeared to ignore Merkel's offer of a handshake.

Despite Merkel's more sober style, her objective will be the same as Macron's—to persuade Trump to back off his dual threats of punitive measures that could spark a transatlantic trade war and scrapping the Iran nuclear deal.

Trump last month announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, claiming foreign imports were harming US national security by undermining the domestic production needed for military readiness.

After an outcry from US allies, Trump granted a temporary exemption to key partners including the EU—but this expires on May 1.

On the eve of Merkel's Washington visit, Berlin's hopes were dim that the EU may be spared the sweeping customs duties, to which it has vowed to retaliate, potentially setting off spiraling counter-measures.

"From today's perspective, we must assume that the tariffs will come on May 1," said a German government source." And then we will see how we will handle it."

'Juggling Act'

The next looming deadline is May 12, the date by which Trump has threatened to tear up the landmark 2015 agreement to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons in return for relief from international sanctions.

Trump has called the agreement, which Germany helped negotiate, "insane" and the "worst deal ever," demanding that its "disastrous flaws" be fixed.

The EU and other signatory powers have sought to convince Trump not to abandon the pact, warning that it was the best defense against a regional nuclear arms race.

Macron pitched the idea of seeking a separate pact to curb Iran's ballistic missile program and support for militias in the Middle East.

The German foreign ministry has insisted that "the biggest priority is maintaining the existing nuclear accord," while Merkel has also called Iran's ballistic missile programme a "cause for concern."

The talks won't be helped by the rocky relations between Germany's veteran leader and the billionaire and former reality TV star Trump.

'Difficult Partner'

Trump has repeatedly berated the EU's top economy for its huge trade surplus with the US and spending too little on NATO joint defense.

He has criticized Merkel for opening German borders since 2015 to a mass influx of mostly Muslim refugees, while she has watched with dismay Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord.

Merkel routinely praises the a rules-based international order to tackle global problems from conflict and terrorism to environmental destruction, in stark contrast to Trump's "America First" stance.

"Angela Merkel is on her third US president in her long tenure as chancellor of Germany," said think-tank the German Marshall Fund of the United States. 

"It is no secret that she sees the current resident of the White House as a 'difficult partner.' Her return to Washington this week, by all accounts, will be a juggling act."

Merkel—who developed close relationships with Trump's predecessors Barack Obama and George W. Bush—this week stressed that, despite the differences, she wants to preserve the bedrock strategic partnership.

"The transatlantic alliance, given the many non-democratic developments in this world," she said, "is a great treasure that I certainly want to cherish and nurture."

The Berliner Zeitung daily looked ahead to Merkel's tough diplomatic mission just after Macron's charm offensive, saying that "she can hardly follow Macron's best-buddy act, but she does need a strategy."

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

France's Macron Pessimistic About Future of Iran Nuclear Pact

Donald Trump may well pull out of the Iran nuclear deal for domestic political reasons, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday, after he and his American counterpart held talks addressing the agreement's future.

Near the end of his three-day state visit, Macron told US media that while he did not know specifically what Trump will decide, he believes the US leader "will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons." 

Trump—a fierce opponent of the July 2015 agreement signed by Tehran and international powers—must declare by May 12 if he will essentially walk away from the existing deal when the renewal deadline arrives on May 12, or stay in.

Macron had come to Washington in part to plead for a more comprehensive "new agreement" that would address what he and Trump believe to be shortcomings of the existing accord.

Trump has branded the Iran deal "insane" and the "worst" in history.

"I have no inside information" on what decision Trump will make on the agreement, Macron told journalists. 

But "I listen to what President Trump is saying and it seems to me that he is not very eager to defend it."

Macron recalled that Trump made killing the Iran nuclear accord a campaign pledge during his 2016 presidential run.

"The rational analysis of all his statements does not make me think that he will do everything to maintain" the agreement signed with Iran to prevent the Islamic republic from acquiring an atomic bomb.

Asked whether such a decision would signify a personal failure for him, Macron stressed that his role "is not to try to convince President Trump to walk away from his campaign commitments."

Instead he offered further defense of the deal, saying "I'm trying to prove that this agreement makes sense."

The proposal that Macron put forward to his US counterpart involves preserving the existing agreement on the first of "four pillars" of a future deal. 

The others would address the period after 2025, when certain clauses concerning nuclear activities will sunset; Tehran's highly controversial ballistic missile program; and its "destabilizing" role in the region. 

"For me it's progress, it avoids falling into the complete unknown if the US decision is a hard exit," said Macron, who confirmed that the proposal was a strategy coordinated with European partners and not a unilateral one. 

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

Iran's Rouhani Questions 'Right' to Seek New Nuclear Deal

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday questioned the legitimacy of demands for a fresh nuclear agreement with Tehran, after the leaders of the US and France called for a "new" deal.

"Together with a leader of a European country they say: 'We want to decide on an agreement reached by seven parties'. What for? With what right?" Rouhani said in a speech.

US President Donald Trump has fiercely criticized a three-year-old deal reached by world powers to curb Iran's nuclear program, and threatened to pull the US out of the agreement. 

Trump is eyeing a broader pact that also limits Iran's ballistic missile program and support for armed groups across the Middle East. 

European signatories to the 2015 deal have been scrambling to salvage it, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying Tuesday after talks with Trump that he wished "for now to work on a new deal with Iran".

Iran has repeatedly insisted it is sticking to the nuclear deal and will not negotiate over its missile program. 

Rouhani took aim at Trump—a former real estate mogul and TV reality star—and accused him of lacking in experience.

"You are just a businessman... you have no experience in politics or law or international agreements," he said. "How can he pass judgements on international affairs?"

Rouhani insisted that by agreeing to the nuclear accord in 2015 Tehran "showed goodwill to the world".

"We wanted to prove to the world that Iran does not seek to acquire weapons
of mass destruction."

Photo Credit: IRNA

Trump, Macron Call for 'New' Nuclear Deal with Iran

US President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron called for a "new" deal with Iran Tuesday, looking beyond disagreements over a landmark nuclear accord that still hangs in the balance.

Trump laid transatlantic divisions bare during a visit by the French president, pillorying a three-year old agreement designed to curb Iran's nuclear program.

The US leader described the deal as "insane" and "ridiculous," despite European pleas for him not to walk away.Instead, Trump eyed a broader "deal" that would also limit Iran's ballistic missile program and support for militant groups across the Middle East.

"I think we will have a great shot at doing a much bigger, maybe, deal," said Trump, stressing that any new accord would have to be built on "solid foundations."

"They should have made a deal that covered Yemen, that covered Syria," said Trump. "No matter where you go in the Middle East, you see the fingerprints of Iran behind problems."

Macron admitted after meeting Trump that he did not know whether the US president would walk away from the nuclear deal when a May 12 decision deadline comes up. 

"I can say that we have had very frank discussions on that, just the two of us," Macron told a joint press conference with Trump at his side.

Putting on a brave face, he said he wished "for now to work on a new deal with Iran" of which the nuclear accord could be one part.

Neither Trump nor Macron indicated whether Iran would get something in return for concessions on its ballistic programs, activities in the Middle East or extending nuclear controls beyond 2025.

Trump—true to his background in reality TV—teased his looming decision.

"This is a deal with decayed foundations. It's a bad deal, it's a bad structure. It's falling down," the US leader said. "We're going to see what happens on the 12th."

Trump's European allies have repeatedly tried to persuade him not to abandon the 2015 deal, which gave Iran massive sanctions relief and the guarantee of a civilian nuclear program in return for limiting enrichment that could produce weapons grade fuel.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will renew those calls when she visits Washington on Friday.

Iran, meanwhile, has warned it will ramp up enrichment if Trump walks away from the accord, prompting a blunt warning from the US leader.

"They're not going to be restarting anything. If they restart it, they're going to have big problems, bigger than they ever had before. And you can mark it down," he said.

Simmering Tensions

For months American and European officials have been working behind the scenes trying to find a compromise on Iran that allows the mercurial US president to claim a public victory, while keeping the deal intact.

More hawkish American officials accuse Europeans—particularly Germany—of putting business interests ahead of security, and of opposing a tougher stance against Iran to safeguard investments in the Islamic Republic.

That charge is sharply rejected by European officials, who are increasingly frustrated at spending time dealing with Trump's complaints rather than tackling Iran's behavior.

The disagreement threatens to plunge transatlantic relations to their lowest point since the Iraq War.

Trump's comments on Iran contrasts markedly with the exuberant welcome he gave the French leader.

Tuesday morning both men waxed lyrical about shared heroes of yore—from the Marquis de Lafayette to Alexis de Tocqueville—as they listened to strains of "La Marseillaise" and "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Later, the Trumps rolled out the red carpet for the Macrons once more at a lavish state dinner—of which the US first lady was said to have fine-tuned every last detail, from gold tableware to white floral centerpieces, for star guests including Apple CEO Tim Cook and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Melania Trump dazzled in a sequined Chanel dress of black Chantilly lace, while Brigitte Macron stepped out in a long-sleeved creamy white gown with gold lattice detailing by Louis Vuitton.

"May our friendship grow even deeper, may our kinship grow even stronger, and may our sacred liberty never die," Trump said in his toast to the Macrons.

In turn, the French leader spoke at length of "how deep, how strong, and how intense the relationship is between our two countries," and marveled at the unforeseen rapport he has forged with Trump. 

"I got to know you, you got to know me. We both know that none of us easily changes our minds, but we will work together, and we have this ability to listen to one another," he said.

The key question is whether Macron can translate that privileged relationship into concrete results—as he also pushes for a permanent exemption for Europe from US steel and aluminum tariffs.

Earlier in the Oval Office, Trump offered a striking—and slightly awkward—sign of their much-vaunted intimacy. "We have a very special relationship, in fact I'll get that little piece of dandruff off," Trump said, swiping something off Macron's jacket. "We have to make him perfect—he is perfect."

Photo Credit: Jacques Witt/SIPA

Netanyahu Turns Up Volume as Iran Deadline Nears

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a fresh call Monday for an overhaul of the Iran nuclear deal as US President Donald Trump's deadline for further Iranian concessions edged closer.

Trump has threatened to tear up the 2015 agreement that lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs to its nuclear activity, unless it curbs its ballistic missile program by May 12.

"Israel will not allow regimes that seek our annihilation to acquire nuclear weapons," Netanyahu told an audience of diplomats in a speech in Jerusalem.

"This is why this deal has to be either fully fixed or fully nixed," he said in English.

Iran says it is ready to relaunch its nuclear program—which the West suspects is designed to produce a bomb—if Trump kills the deal.

Netanyahu said the 2015 agreement leaves Iran able to quickly reboot its nuclear program to enable military production.

"It gives Iran a clear path to a nuclear arsenal," he said. "It allows, over a few years, unlimited enrichment of uranium, the core ingredient required to produce nuclear bombs."

The United States delivered much the same message Monday, at a meeting of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in Geneva.

Christopher Ford, US Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation, said the Islamic republic's nuclear program remained "dangerously close to rapid weaponization."

Iran insists it never intended to build a nuclear weapon.

Photo Credit: Wikicommons

Russia, China to Stop Bid to 'Sabotage' Iran Deal: Lavrov

China and Russia will block any attempts to "sabotage" the Iran nuclear agreement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday, as US President Donald Trump mulls whether to scrap the deal.

Trump has set a May 12 deadline to "fix" the 2015 accord, which curbs Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief and was the fruit of intense diplomacy involving the US, European powers, Russia and China.

"There are attempts to interfere with the international order upon which the United Nations depends," Lavrov said after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.

"We said clearly with China that we will stop attempts to sabotage these agreements that were passed in a UN Security Council resolution," Lavrov said.

He was speaking on the eve of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional security bloc spearheaded by Moscow and Beijing.

Calling the Iran agreement "one of the biggest achievements in international diplomacy in recent times", Lavrov said that "revising this document is unacceptable."

Trump has threatened to abandon the accord unless European capitals agree to supplement it with tougher controls on Iran's missile program and its future ability to enrich nuclear fuel.

His partners maintain that  implementation of the agreement under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the best way to prevent Tehran from seeking an atomic bomb.

Iran warned Saturday it was ready to "vigorously" resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the deal.

Photo Credit: Wikicommons