The EU’s diplomatic chief, Federica Mogherini, insisted Wednesday that the current Iran nuclear deal was working and “needs to be preserved”, after US President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron called for a “new” agreement with Tehran.
Mogherini, who has staunchly defended the deal, said Wednesday that it was working and was “essential for European security”.
“On what can happen in the future we’ll see in the future, but there is one deal existing, it’s working, it needs to be preserved,” the former Italian foreign minister said as she arrived for a donor conference on Syria in Brussels.
Europe, led by Britain, France and Germany, has repeatedly tried to persuade Trump 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.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to renew those calls when she follows Macron to Washington on Friday.
Trump has been threatening to walk away from the accord unless it is expanded to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional activities by a May 12 deadline.
On Tuesday, he slammed the deal as “insane” at the White House with Macron on Tuesday but said there was a “great shot at a new accord,” while Macron said he wanted to work for a “new arrangement.”
Source: AFP
