Speaking to reporters during his first overseas trip since confirmation, new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he believes it is very “unlikely” that President Trump will keep the United States in the P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran past May 12.
Trump established the May 12 ultimatum months ago, demanding major changes to the deal. Pompeo says that absent a “substantial fix” of the deal to address Trump’s demands, Trump will presumably pull out, though no decision has been made.
The three EU members of the deal, Britain, France, and Germany, are offering a sideline deal to try to satisfy Trump. Iran and Russia are both rejecting any changes to the deal itself, however, meaning that the Europeans can only offer a totally separate agreement.
Trump’s opposition to the nuclear deal centers on three issues. He wants limits on Iran’s civilian nuclear program to not sunset in the future. He also wants the IAEA to access non-nuclear military sites, which the IAEA has not sought to access at all. Finally, he wants the nuclear deal to “address Iran’s other activities,” like having conventional missiles.
The expectation is that Europe will offer to back the US on the last of those demands, agreeing to support US efforts against Iran’s conventional military capabilities. None of this is going to end up in the nuclear deal, however, and that may mean President Trump will remain unsatisfied.
Pres. Trump would be making a terrible mistake by withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Deal, and Mike Pompeo’s making a huge mistake by even hinting at such an act.
The allied leaders all requested Trump to stay in this deal, and their request is a valid one. The only beneficiary of a US withdrawal from this deal would be Israel, giving it the opening it wants, to attack Iran.
Should Trump ignore requests from allied leaders to remain in the Iran Nuclear Deal and pull out, Congress will have to immediately act to overturn Trump’s irresponsible move and save this deal, it’s a matter of life or death for millions of us.
Unfortunately, the pressure from Congress seems to run in the other direction. Republicans especially, but also pro-Israel Democrats in safe states/districts, want him to renege on the deal.
As for the other state parties to the deal, it would be temporarily economically painful to them, but I hope they will make it clear that if the US withdraws from the deal, they will either:
– Impose reciprocal sanctions on the US exactly matching the US sanctions on Iran; or
– Place tariffs on US goods that they will then pass through to Iran to compensate Iran for the damages caused by the US withdrawal.
If the deal goes on with or without the US, and if the US knows it will pay a price for reneging, the US is a lot less likely to withdraw.
I too hope that that happens, but I fear that “hope” is in vain. The Europeans will gnash their teeth but in the end, succumb to US pressure. Then the World will polarize further with Iran moving more into the sphere of influence of Russia, China and probably India
The EU will just roll over and beg, though.
They probably have more than their share of anti-Iran hardliners in high shadows.
Mike Pompeo’s birth was a huge mistake.
That is just harsh and beyond anyone who constructively disagrees with Pompous Mike.
But will they? (The Congress…) best-dv
How dare the “Europeans” be so arrogant as to interfere with the conventional weapons of Iran, which has attack NOBODY for centuries and with the other parties in 2015 signed an international deal which is working?
They’ll end up with a separate deal from the nuke deal but with the same economic sanctions. So if Iran doesn’t agree to stop making missiles there enemies have, bought from us, than the US and it’s lapdogs will impose those same sanctions. Sooner or later they will get their wish and Iran will say F**k it. Then it’s game on.
Not going to happen. Uncle sham doesn’t have any business relations with I.ran. All sanctions will be placed on European companies doing business with I.ran.
Europe will most likely pay kickbacks to U.S to keep the businesses off the hook.
Why bother having any deal with the US EVER, they just change the deal after the fact……… Nuclear deal, add conventional weapons, trade deal change the rules. America has a serious and significant habit of changing a deal as soon as the next President comes along! Even ratified treaties passed by Congress are changed at the whim of a President. So as I said WHY bother making an agreement with the US they will change it anyway!
Australia has a free trade treaty with the US one of those treaty agreements is that Australian Steel will be treated as if it was made in the US. Suddenly Trump says NO, NO, NO, and slaps a tariff on it! Of course we are not allowed to add Tariffs to what the US is allowed to take into Australia, that would be a breach of the Treaty!
So diplomats have something to wave as opposed to protesting empty handed, which is far more embarassing.
At the end of the day this has nothing to do with Iran’s military capabilities.
In hybrid war what’s really feared is the Iranian economy and regional cultural legitimacy.
I hope Pompeo is just Randstanding.
The EU will not defy the United States, and the United State will not defy its master Israel. Israel is like Lola in “Damn Yankees”, and whatever Lola wants Lola gets