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| Trump Pushes to Reopen Iran Nuclear Deal, and Asks Allies to Help | Trump Pushes to Reopen Iran Nuclear Deal, and Asks Allies to Help |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| President Trump is seeking to revisit the nuclear agreement with Iran to toughen its provisions rather than scrap it right away as he has threatened. He is using his time at the United Nations this week to enlist support from allies to pressure Tehran to return to the negotiating table, administration officials said Wednesday. | |
| Mr. Trump, who denounced the agreement in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly this week as an “embarrassment to the United States,” wants to modify it by extending its time frame and imposing new limits on Iran’s development of ballistic missiles. Although European officials strongly back the deal, some signaled openness to negotiating a separate follow-up agreement. | Mr. Trump, who denounced the agreement in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly this week as an “embarrassment to the United States,” wants to modify it by extending its time frame and imposing new limits on Iran’s development of ballistic missiles. Although European officials strongly back the deal, some signaled openness to negotiating a separate follow-up agreement. |
| The maneuvering suggested a possible path forward for Mr. Trump short of abandoning the accord, but it remains uncertain whether he can reach consensus with the European allies, much less with Russia and China, the deal’s other patrons. | The maneuvering suggested a possible path forward for Mr. Trump short of abandoning the accord, but it remains uncertain whether he can reach consensus with the European allies, much less with Russia and China, the deal’s other patrons. |
| Even if he succeeded, persuading Tehran to reopen talks would be a challenge. President Hassan Rouhani of Iran declared the agreement a “closed issue” on Wednesday, warning that if the United States pulled out, Iran could resume uranium enrichment. | Even if he succeeded, persuading Tehran to reopen talks would be a challenge. President Hassan Rouhani of Iran declared the agreement a “closed issue” on Wednesday, warning that if the United States pulled out, Iran could resume uranium enrichment. |
| “We see today the Americans are seeking an excuse to break this agreement,” Mr. Rouhani said at a news conference after his own speech to the General Assembly. For that reason, he said, negotiating with “an American government that tramples on a legal agreement would be a waste of time.” | “We see today the Americans are seeking an excuse to break this agreement,” Mr. Rouhani said at a news conference after his own speech to the General Assembly. For that reason, he said, negotiating with “an American government that tramples on a legal agreement would be a waste of time.” |
| Under the accord, reached in 2015, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Under United States law, Mr. Trump has until Oct. 15 to certify whether Iran is complying, and while he has done so twice since taking office, he has signaled that he will refuse to do so again. | Under the accord, reached in 2015, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Under United States law, Mr. Trump has until Oct. 15 to certify whether Iran is complying, and while he has done so twice since taking office, he has signaled that he will refuse to do so again. |
| That by itself would not abrogate the deal, but would give Congress 60 days to reimpose sanctions on Iran, an action that would mean an end to the agreement, at least for the United States. | That by itself would not abrogate the deal, but would give Congress 60 days to reimpose sanctions on Iran, an action that would mean an end to the agreement, at least for the United States. |
| Mr. Trump may see decertification, or the threat of it, as leverage to press Iran and the other powers to restart talks. He could offer to certify for another 90 days if other parties agreed to explore new negotiations. | Mr. Trump may see decertification, or the threat of it, as leverage to press Iran and the other powers to restart talks. He could offer to certify for another 90 days if other parties agreed to explore new negotiations. |
| On Wednesday, he teased reporters who asked him whether he had decided what to do. “I have decided,” he said, repeating the phrase three times. Pressed by reporters, he added: “I’ll let you know. I’ll let you know.” | On Wednesday, he teased reporters who asked him whether he had decided what to do. “I have decided,” he said, repeating the phrase three times. Pressed by reporters, he added: “I’ll let you know. I’ll let you know.” |
| Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson seemed to foreshadow the strategy in a television interview on Tuesday. “The president really wants to redo that deal,” he told Fox News. “We do need the support, I think, of our allies, the European allies and others, to make the case as well to Iran that this deal really has to be revisited.” | Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson seemed to foreshadow the strategy in a television interview on Tuesday. “The president really wants to redo that deal,” he told Fox News. “We do need the support, I think, of our allies, the European allies and others, to make the case as well to Iran that this deal really has to be revisited.” |
| Two provisions he and others focused on involve the expiration of the agreement and its failure to stop Iran from developing ballistic missiles. Under the deal, sealed in 2015, some provisions expire, or “sunset,” after as little as 10 years while others are in force longer and some are permanent. And although United Nations provisions seek to limit ballistic missile technology, the nuclear agreement does not prohibit Iran from developing such weapons on its own. | |
| “If we’re going to stick with the Iran deal, there has to be changes made to it,” Mr. Tillerson said. “The sunset provision simply is not a sensible way forward. It’s just simply, as I say, kicking the can down the road again for someone in the future to have to deal with.” | “If we’re going to stick with the Iran deal, there has to be changes made to it,” Mr. Tillerson said. “The sunset provision simply is not a sensible way forward. It’s just simply, as I say, kicking the can down the road again for someone in the future to have to deal with.” |
| The other five major powers that negotiated the agreement along with President Barack Obama — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — have resisted any effort by Mr. Trump to simply tear it up. But President Emmanuel Macron of France opened the door to rethinking its terms on Wednesday, two days after meeting with Mr. Trump. | The other five major powers that negotiated the agreement along with President Barack Obama — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — have resisted any effort by Mr. Trump to simply tear it up. But President Emmanuel Macron of France opened the door to rethinking its terms on Wednesday, two days after meeting with Mr. Trump. |
| Speaking to reporters outside the United Nations Security Council chambers, Mr. Macron said France favored keeping the agreement “because it’s a good one,” but would support adding “two to three other pillars,” or provisions. He cited ballistic missiles and the deal’s expiration dates. | Speaking to reporters outside the United Nations Security Council chambers, Mr. Macron said France favored keeping the agreement “because it’s a good one,” but would support adding “two to three other pillars,” or provisions. He cited ballistic missiles and the deal’s expiration dates. |
| Mr. Macron also said he favored “an open discussion with Iran about the current situation in the region.” But he added, “I think it would be a mistake just to abandon the nuclear agreement without that.” | Mr. Macron also said he favored “an open discussion with Iran about the current situation in the region.” But he added, “I think it would be a mistake just to abandon the nuclear agreement without that.” |
| The French position would be to leave the current agreement in place but negotiate a supplemental deal to address concerns Mr. Trump and others have raised, according to a European official. | The French position would be to leave the current agreement in place but negotiate a supplemental deal to address concerns Mr. Trump and others have raised, according to a European official. |
| Such an approach could potentially satisfy Israel, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with Mr. Trump this week and later told the United Nations that the deal should be amended or rescinded. “Change it or cancel it,” he said. “Fix it or nix it.” | Such an approach could potentially satisfy Israel, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with Mr. Trump this week and later told the United Nations that the deal should be amended or rescinded. “Change it or cancel it,” he said. “Fix it or nix it.” |
| Mr. Trump met on Wednesday with another key player, Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain, and aides said he planned to raise his thoughts on renegotiating the Iran deal with her. But it was not clear whether she told him she was open to that. Mr. Tillerson was meeting Wednesday evening with counterparts from the other parties to the agreement, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran. | Mr. Trump met on Wednesday with another key player, Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain, and aides said he planned to raise his thoughts on renegotiating the Iran deal with her. But it was not clear whether she told him she was open to that. Mr. Tillerson was meeting Wednesday evening with counterparts from the other parties to the agreement, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran. |
| Speaking to the General Assembly, Mr. Rouhani on Wednesday praised the deal as a “model,” arguing that the Middle East was safer for it. “It will be a great pity if this agreement were to be destroyed by rogue newcomers to the world of politics,” he said. “The world will have lost a great opportunity.” | Speaking to the General Assembly, Mr. Rouhani on Wednesday praised the deal as a “model,” arguing that the Middle East was safer for it. “It will be a great pity if this agreement were to be destroyed by rogue newcomers to the world of politics,” he said. “The world will have lost a great opportunity.” |
| The Iranian president sought to flip the script on the Trump administration’s contention that Iran destabilizes the Middle East. He said American taxpayers should ask why billions of dollars spent in the region has not advanced peace, and “has only brought war, misery, poverty” and the “rise of extremism to the region.” | The Iranian president sought to flip the script on the Trump administration’s contention that Iran destabilizes the Middle East. He said American taxpayers should ask why billions of dollars spent in the region has not advanced peace, and “has only brought war, misery, poverty” and the “rise of extremism to the region.” |
| “The ignorant, absurd and hateful rhetoric, filled with ridiculously baseless allegations, that was uttered before this august body yesterday,” Mr. Rouhani said, was “unfit to be heard at the United Nations, which was established to promote peace and respect between nations.” | “The ignorant, absurd and hateful rhetoric, filled with ridiculously baseless allegations, that was uttered before this august body yesterday,” Mr. Rouhani said, was “unfit to be heard at the United Nations, which was established to promote peace and respect between nations.” |
| At a later news conference, Mr. Rouhani demanded an apology from Mr. Trump and said the nuclear agreement could not be amended, reopened or renegotiated. Given the Trump administration’s open hostility, he said he saw no reason for dialogue. “It is not realistic,” he said. | At a later news conference, Mr. Rouhani demanded an apology from Mr. Trump and said the nuclear agreement could not be amended, reopened or renegotiated. Given the Trump administration’s open hostility, he said he saw no reason for dialogue. “It is not realistic,” he said. |
| Mr. Rouhani also said that the Iranians were exploring “our options” should the agreement unravel, and that one “may be to start enrichment” of uranium. But he also repeated Iran’s oft-stated position that it regards nuclear weapons as illegal and against Islamic law. | Mr. Rouhani also said that the Iranians were exploring “our options” should the agreement unravel, and that one “may be to start enrichment” of uranium. But he also repeated Iran’s oft-stated position that it regards nuclear weapons as illegal and against Islamic law. |
| American officials said Mr. Trump and the European leaders could come to a common position on restarting negotiations, but the difference was that if they failed, the Europeans would still favor keeping the original agreement while the president would be more inclined to abandon it. | American officials said Mr. Trump and the European leaders could come to a common position on restarting negotiations, but the difference was that if they failed, the Europeans would still favor keeping the original agreement while the president would be more inclined to abandon it. |
| If negotiations were to reopen in some form, the challenge for Mr. Trump would be to persuade Iran to make further concessions. The sanctions that forced Iran to the table under Mr. Obama have been lifted, so Mr. Trump would have less leverage. And it is not clear what if anything he would be willing to offer to strike a deal. | If negotiations were to reopen in some form, the challenge for Mr. Trump would be to persuade Iran to make further concessions. The sanctions that forced Iran to the table under Mr. Obama have been lifted, so Mr. Trump would have less leverage. And it is not clear what if anything he would be willing to offer to strike a deal. |
| “If there are concerns that the administration has, they certainly can suggest an additional negotiation leaving the deal intact and implemented,” Wendy R. Sherman, a former under secretary of state, who negotiated the nuclear accord for Mr. Obama, said in an interview. “But that would also require the United States government to be ready to put something on the table. If the administration is looking for more, they will also have to give more.” | “If there are concerns that the administration has, they certainly can suggest an additional negotiation leaving the deal intact and implemented,” Wendy R. Sherman, a former under secretary of state, who negotiated the nuclear accord for Mr. Obama, said in an interview. “But that would also require the United States government to be ready to put something on the table. If the administration is looking for more, they will also have to give more.” |
| Representative Ed Royce, the California Republican who is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made a similar point. Once sanctions were lifted, he noted, Iran recovered funds that had been frozen in the West, eliminating that leverage. | Representative Ed Royce, the California Republican who is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made a similar point. Once sanctions were lifted, he noted, Iran recovered funds that had been frozen in the West, eliminating that leverage. |
| “They now have this money,” Mr. Royce said on CNN on Tuesday. “And so in a way, the toothpaste is out of the tube.” | “They now have this money,” Mr. Royce said on CNN on Tuesday. “And so in a way, the toothpaste is out of the tube.” |
| He suggested it would be better to make the agreement work rather than pull out altogether. “I think we should enforce the hell out of the agreement,” he said, “and thereby force compliance on the part of Iran.” | He suggested it would be better to make the agreement work rather than pull out altogether. “I think we should enforce the hell out of the agreement,” he said, “and thereby force compliance on the part of Iran.” |