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Iran may pull further away from nuclear deal after latest sanctions Iran may pull further away from nuclear deal after latest sanctions
(32 minutes later)
Iran has announced it may take further steps to pull away from its nuclear deal with international powers as John Bolton, Donald Trump’s national security adviser, said a fresh round of sanctions against Tehran would serve as a warning not to “mistake US prudence and discretion for weakness”.Iran has announced it may take further steps to pull away from its nuclear deal with international powers as John Bolton, Donald Trump’s national security adviser, said a fresh round of sanctions against Tehran would serve as a warning not to “mistake US prudence and discretion for weakness”.
The comments on Sunday followed reports that Washington had mounted a sophisticated and crippling cyber-attack on the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after the US president decided against a more conventional airstrike in response to Tehran’s downing of a US surveillance drone. The comments on Sunday followed reports that Washington had mounted a sophisticated and crippling cyber-attack on the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guards after the US president decided against a more conventional airstrike in response to Tehran’s downing of a US surveillance drone.
Bolton was judged to have lost an inter-agency dispute when Trump pulled back last week from the missile attack on Iranian sites. Trump said the US air force was “cocked and loaded” when he decided the estimated civilian death toll of a military action would be a disproportionate response to Iran’s taking down of the unmanned drone. Bolton was judged to have lost an inter-agency dispute when Trump pulled back last week from the missile attack on Iranian sites. Trump said the US air force was “cocked and loaded” when he decided the estimated civilian death toll of a military action would be a disproportionate response to Iran’s downing of the unmanned drone.
But Bolton, speaking in Jerusalem ahead of a three-way conference between US, Russia and Israel on the future role of Iran in Syria, insisted the US was not losing its nerve. But Bolton, speaking in Jerusalem before a three-way conference between US, Russia and Israel on the future role of Iran in Syria, insisted the US was not losing its nerve.
Bolton said no one had granted Iran “a hunting licence in the Middle East”. He echoed Trump’s warnings that the US military was “rebuilt, new and ready to go”, and said “biting” new sanctions would be imposed on Monday, as announced by Trump. Bolton said no one had granted Iran “a hunting licence in the Middle East”. He echoed Trump’s warnings that the US military was “rebuilt, new and ready to go”, and said “biting” new sanctions would be imposed on Monday, as announced by the president.
“Iran’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons, its threats to exceed the limits set in the failed Iran nuclear deal in the coming days … are not signs of a nation seeking peace,” Bolton told reporters, speaking alongside the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.“Iran’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons, its threats to exceed the limits set in the failed Iran nuclear deal in the coming days … are not signs of a nation seeking peace,” Bolton told reporters, speaking alongside the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
He urged Iran not to “mistake US prudence and discretion for weakness”, saying military action against Iran remained very much an option despite Trump’s rethink about a military strike last week.He urged Iran not to “mistake US prudence and discretion for weakness”, saying military action against Iran remained very much an option despite Trump’s rethink about a military strike last week.
On Saturday, the US president sent out conflicting messages about his stance on Iran, raising the possibility of easing sanctions if Tehran pledged to abandon its nuclear aspirations while at the same time saying a tough new embargo was set to be imposed.On Saturday, the US president sent out conflicting messages about his stance on Iran, raising the possibility of easing sanctions if Tehran pledged to abandon its nuclear aspirations while at the same time saying a tough new embargo was set to be imposed.
The US president has in recent days conspicuously steered clear of raising the 12 extensive pre-conditions for talks previously set out by his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, but there is little sign from Tehran that officials there believe Trump is sincerely seeking to reopen talks on the Iran nuclear deal from which he unilaterally withdrew in May 2018. The US president has in recent days conspicuously steered clear of raising the 12 extensive preconditions for talks previously set out by his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, but there is little sign from Tehran that officials there believe Trump is sincerely seeking to reopen talks on the Iran nuclear deal from which he unilaterally withdrew in May 2018.
Iran, for its part, instead warned it may further scale back compliance with its nuclear deal unless European countries shield it from the US sanctions through a trade mechanism, the head of Tehran’s strategic council on foreign relations was quoted as saying on Sunday.Iran, for its part, instead warned it may further scale back compliance with its nuclear deal unless European countries shield it from the US sanctions through a trade mechanism, the head of Tehran’s strategic council on foreign relations was quoted as saying on Sunday.
“If Europeans don’t take measures within the 60-day deadline (announced by Iran in May), we will take new steps,” the semi-official news agency ISNA quoted Kamal Kharazi as saying.“If Europeans don’t take measures within the 60-day deadline (announced by Iran in May), we will take new steps,” the semi-official news agency ISNA quoted Kamal Kharazi as saying.
He said on the other hand it would be a positive step if the European Union “put resources in (the planned European trade mechanism) Instex and … make trade possible”. Instex is designed to allow EU companies to trade with Iran and not be hit by US sanctions. He said on the other hand it would be a positive step if the European Union “put resources in [the trade mechanism] Instex and … make trade possible”. Instex is designed to allow EU companies to trade with Iran and not be hit by US sanctions.
Kharazi’s comments came after he met the British Foreign Office minister Andrew Murrison, who is in Tehran in a last-ditch bid to persuade Iran to not withdraw from their commitments to the deal as they have threatened to do in two phases. Kharazi’s comments came after he met the British Foreign Office minister Andrew Murrison, who is in Tehran in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Iran to not withdraw from its commitments to the deal as it has threatened to do in two phases.
In the first stage, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said the country would by 27 June produce more low-enriched uranium –t used to fuel power plants – than allowed by the deal. In the second stage, the agency suggested it might by 27 July begin enriching the uranium to higher levels of purity, bringing it closer to what would be necessary to build a nuclear weapon. In the first stage, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said the country would by 27 June produce more low-enriched uranium –used to fuel power plants – than allowed by the deal. In the second stage, the agency suggested it may start enriching uranium to higher levels of purity a month later, bringing Tehran closer to what would be necessary to build a nuclear weapon.
It is Murrison’s first visit to Tehran as a Middle East minister, and he was also expected to raise the plight of the Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is on hunger strike in a Tehran jail. She is serving a five-year sentence for espionage, a charge she denies. It is Murrison’s first visit to Tehran as a Middle East minister, during which he is also expected to raise the plight of the Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is on hunger strike in a Tehran jail. She is serving a five-year sentence for espionage, a charge she denies.
Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, is on a sympathy hunger strike outside the Iranian embassy in Kensington. A stream of well-wishers have been to visit him, including the Labour deputy leader, Tom Watson. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, is on a sympathy hunger strike outside the Iranian embassy in London. A stream of well-wishers have been to visit him, including the Labour deputy leader, Tom Watson.
Bolton is due to this week to hold unprecedented talks with the Russian security officer Nikolai Patrushev and Meir Ben-Shabbat, Israel’s national security adviser, focused on the Iranian influence in Syria, particularly through the Revolutionary Guards Quds force. Bolton is to hold unprecedented talks this week with his Russian and Israeli counterparts Nikolai Patrushev and Meir Ben-Shabbat focused on the Iranian influence in Syria, particularly through the Revolutionary Guards Quds force.
The three sides will investigate the once-unlikely possibility of a deal in which Russia expects the US to recognise President Assad’s regime in Syria and lift sanctions. In exchange, Russia would move to either reduce the Iranian presence or drive Iran from Syria. The three sides will investigate the once-unlikely possibility of a deal in which Russia expects the US to recognise the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and lift sanctions. In exchange, Russia would move to either reduce the Iranian presence or drive Iran from Syria.
Iran nuclear dealIran nuclear deal
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Nuclear weaponsNuclear weapons
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