"Relations between Paris and Tehran have weathered worse storms than this," Mitchell Belfer, director of the Euro-Gulf Information Centre in Rome, told RFI after French authorities froze the financial assets of Iran’s intelligence services and two Iranian men, in response to an alleged bomb plot in June. A senior French official told the Reuters news agency that Paris had no doubt that elements of the Iranian state were behind the bomb plot and that it was likely to have been hatched by hardliners looking to undermine President Hassan Rouhani. "These episodes create a degree of tension and then it's back to business as normal," comments Belfer, for whom "Iran is a good opportunity" for Paris. "France has been willing to overlook some of the excesses of Iranian operations abroad even if it means potentially hurting French citizens because what they see is an area where the US is not very present," he says. US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in May … [Read more...] about French terror plot raids clash with efforts to save Iran nuclear deal
When was iran nuclear deal signed
May chides Trump over decision to abandon Iran nuclear deal
Theresa May has used a UN security ouncil meeting chaired by Donald Trump to rebuke the US president for abandoning the Iran nuclear deal, telling him it remained “the best means of preventing Iran developing a nuclear weapon”. The prime minister repeatedly stressed the central role of united global efforts in battling nuclear and chemical weapons – a pointed contrast to Trump’s isolationist stance when he addressed the main UN assembly on Tuesday. May also used the special meeting of the security council – centred on weapons non-proliferation – to warn of potential renewed military action if chemical weapons were again used in Syria. Russia and other backers of Syria’s government should seek to avoid repeated use of chemical weapons, she said, adding: “For there must be no doubt: we will respond swiftly and appropriately if they are.” May also condemned what she said was Russia’s “desperate fabrication” in … [Read more...] about May chides Trump over decision to abandon Iran nuclear deal
Mogherini meets Zarif in NY ahead of Iran nuclear deal signatories meeting
With tensions ratcheting up between Iran and the outside world after a deadly attack on a military parade inside the Islamic Republic, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ahead of a ministerial meeting between the remaining signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in New York, part of a series of discussions taking place on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly. Mogherini is set to act as chair of the ministerial meeting, which will also include Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Iran on the continued implementation of the Iran nuclear deal that was signed with the United States in 2015. US President Donald J. Trump abruptly pulled the Americans out of the agreement earlier this year when he falsely accused Tehran of failing to live up to the main tenets of the deal. His unilateral decision was sharply criticised … [Read more...] about Mogherini meets Zarif in NY ahead of Iran nuclear deal signatories meeting
Why did Donald Trump pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and what’s going to happen now?
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has announced he has pulled America out of the "horrible, one-sided" Iran nuclear deal as well as lay into the Iranian regime in a series of tweets. Speaking in the White House, the US President claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuke programme branding the agreement "disastrous" - here's what you need to know. Why has Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal? Prior to his definitive announcement, Trump repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the deal, calling it “ridiculous” as well as “insane”. Reports had emerged citing people who are familiar with the decision say he told French President Emmanuel Macron his plans to withdraw from the historic deal. While he has made no secret of his dislike of the deal he has also said he was willing to work to improve the arrangement. He has particularly objected the accord’s sunset clause, which allows Iran to resume part of its nuclear programme after 2025. Speaking at … [Read more...] about Why did Donald Trump pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and what’s going to happen now?
What is the Iran nuclear deal, when was it agreed and which countries signed it?
BROKERED by the Obama White House and signed by seven world powers, the Iran nuclear deal aimed to reduce the country's ability to produce nuclear weapons. However, Donald Trump's latest Twitter attack could see the hard work undone after the US President issued a dramatic warning to the leader of the Islamic Republic. What does the Iran nuclear deal entail? The Iran nuclear deal was an agreement between the Islamic Republic and a group of world powers aimed at scrapping the Middle Eastern country's nuclear weapons programme. The deal saw Iran agree to eliminate its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium by 98 per cent. Enriched uranium is a critical component for making nuclear weapons and in nuclear power stations and by curbing the amount Iran produce is a way to curb the number of weapons produced. As part of the agreement, Iran also agreed to only enrich their uranium up to 3.67 per cent over the next 15 years and they agreed to reduce their gas centrifuges for 13 years. Gas … [Read more...] about What is the Iran nuclear deal, when was it agreed and which countries signed it?