28 Mar 2024
Saturday 23 September 2017 - 11:00
Story Code : 276706

Former diplomat: Trump may alienate US allies by caving to Israel on Iran deal



Sputnik - Former US Assistant Secretary of State Chas Freeman claims that Donald Trump is likely to strain relations with major US allies in Europe if he exits the Iran nuclear accord.




WASHINGTON (Sputnik) President Donald Trump is likely tostrain relations withmajor US allies inEurope if he surrenders tothe pro-Israel lobby andexits the Iran nuclear accord, former US Assistant Secretary ofState Chas Freeman told Sputnik.

In his first address tothe UN General Assembly onTuesday, Trump called the 2015 nuclear accord, known asthe Joint Comprehensive Plan ofAction (JCPOA) one ofthe worst deals the United States had ever signed.
"It is evident that President Trump has no strategy fordealing withIran. He is playing tohis domestic base and the Israel Lobby withoutconsidering the probable reactions ofIran or the other parties tothe JCPOA," Freeman said onWednesday. "It will produce a very significant estrangement ofthe United States fromBritain, France, and Germany."


Iran, however, was likely tocontinue tohonor the JCPOA even afterTrump abandoned it, Freeman added.

"The major result ofhis threats toturn his back onthe agreement or his actually doing so is unlikely tobe an Iranian nuclear weapons program," Freeman said. "Iran will have every interest incarrying onwith the agreement if only towiden the rift betweenthe United States and the rest ofthe world."

US Ambassador tothe UN Nikki Haley noted that Trump's speech atthe United Nations General Assembly did not mean that the United States wanted towithdraw fromthe international nuclear accord withIran, butrather indicated that he wasn't happy withthe agreement.

Haley earlier onWednesday told ABC's Good Morning America that Trump firmly believes Iran wasviolating the accordbycarrying outballistic missile testing and providing support toterrorists. US Strategic Command Chief General John Hyten later said atan Air Force association conference that the JCPOA was "holding" despiteIrans ballistic missile development activities.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani onWednesday told reporters onthe sidelines ofthe UNGA that Trumps speech violated the JCPOA because the agreement prohibits parties tofrom taking stances againstit.

Rouhani denied allegations that Tehran violated the agreement and urged other participating nations touphold their commitments.

In July 2015, Iran and the P5+1 group ofnations comprised ofthe United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany, signed the JCPOA. The agreement stipulates lifting ofnuclear-related sanctions imposed onIran inexchange forTehran maintaining the peaceful nature ofits nuclear program. The plan came intoforce onJanuary 16, 2016.

Chas Freeman is a lifetime director ofthe Atlantic Council and served asUS Deputy Chief ofMission and Charg daffaires atthe US embassies inBeijing and Bangkok. Freeman also held several senior level positions atthe US Department ofDefense.

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