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Trump Pushes to Reopen Iran Nuclear Deal, and Asks Allies to Help Trump Pushes to Revisit 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. 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, enlisting 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 expand on it by extending its time frame and imposing new limits on Iran’s development of ballistic missiles. Although European officials strongly back the current 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. Iran on Wednesday ruled out revisiting the agreement as President Hassan Rouhani declared it a “closed issue” and warned that if the United States pulled out, Iran might 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. The accord, reached in 2015, required Iran 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 the deal remains vital to America’s national security. 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, the president 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.” Mr. Trump remained coy later when he met with Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain and declined to tell her his decision either. “Prime Minister May asked him if he would share it with her and he said no,” Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said.
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.” Mr. Tillerson met in the evening with counterparts from the other countries that brokered the deal — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — as well as Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif. It was the first time Mr. Tillerson had been in the same room with Mr. Zarif since taking office and he described the session as businesslike.
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. “It was a good opportunity to meet, shake hands,” he told reporters. “The tone was very matter of fact. There was no yelling. We didn’t throw shoes at one another.”
Mr. Tillerson acknowledged that international inspectors have found that Iran “is in technical compliance with the agreement, and no one around the table took exception to that.” But he argued that Iran was violating the larger aspirations of the deal by engaging in destabilizing activities not directly covered by it, like supporting terrorist groups.
He also conceded that prospects of persuading the other powers, much less Iran, to revisit the deal were daunting, even as he said he remained optimistic. When negotiating as chief executive of Exxon Mobil, Mr. Tillerson said he had learned that “it always gets the darkest before you might have a breakthrough.”
No breakthrough was apparent on Wednesday evening. Federica Mogherini, the foreign minister for the European Union who led the 90-minute meeting, rejected scrapping or renegotiating the agreement. “The international community cannot afford dismantling an agreement that is working and delivering,” she told reporters outside the Security Council chamber.
“This is an agreement that prevented a nuclear program and potentially prevented military intervention. Let’s not forget that,” she added. “There is no need to renegotiate parts of the agreement, because the agreement is working.”
Mr. Tillerson outlined the Trump administration approach 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 focused on involve the expiration of the agreement and its failure to stop Iran from developing ballistic missiles. Under the deal, some provisions expire, or “sunset,” after as few 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.
“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. President Emmanuel Macron of France opened the door to rethinking its terms on Wednesday, two days after meeting with Mr. Trump. Speaking to reporters at the United Nations, 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, 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.
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 had not advanced peace, and “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, referring to Mr. Trump’s speech 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. Should the agreement unravel, he said one option “may be to start enrichment” of uranium.
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. If negotiations were to reopen in some form, the challenge for Mr. Trump would be how 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.
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 there are concerns that the administration has, they certainly can suggest an additional negotiation leaving the deal intact and implemented,” Wendy R. Sherman, who negotiated the 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 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. 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.”
“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.
“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.”