Germany, France, the UK and the EU called on Iran to stay committed to the accord after Donald Trump said the US would withdraw, while Trump’s Middle Eastern allies praised his decision. DW rounds up the key reactions.
US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that he intends to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear dealdrew opposing reactions from world leaders.
While some praised the president for turning his back on a “flawed” deal, others argued that Trump’s decision itself undermines the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), concluded in 2015 after years of negotiation, and raises uncertainty not only between the US and Iran but also between transatlantic allies.
Germany
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Germany would not abandon the Iran deal, despite Trump’s decision. The German government will continue to support the “important accord” that improves security in both the Middle East and the world, he told public broadcaster ARD. “I don’t know what the US wants to replace it with,” Maas added.
German business leaders also expressed concern over potential US-imposed sanctions on German companies that have relations with Iran: “The reintroduction of US sanctions would cause enourmous insecurity in the German economy,” said Volker Treier, the head of foreign economics head at the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Why Europeans wanted to save the Iran nuclear deal
Europe
The United Kingdom and France, both signatories to the Iran accord, echoed Maas’ comments and said they remained committed to working together to uphold the deal.
In a joint statement provided by British Prime Minister Theresa May’s office, France, the UK and Germany requested the US not obstruct other nations as they attempt to implement the deal and urged Iran to “show restraint” and continue fulfilling its own obligations.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who had tried to pursuade Trump to remain in the deal, tweeted his disappointment and resolve: “France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity and stability in the Middle East, notably Syria, Yemen and Iraq.”
Russia, which also helped negotiate the Iran deal, said it was “deeply disappointed” by Trump’s unilateral decision.
Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, who helps supervise the way Iran and the six world powers implement the deal and settle any disputes, said in a Tuesday press statement that the deal “is not in the hands of an single country.”
“The European Union is determined to act in accordance with its security interests and to protect its economic investments,” she said. In a message directed at Iran, Mogherini said: “Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement. It is one of the biggest achievements diplomacy has ever delivered, and we have built this together.”
‘Europe is key’ to survival of Iran deal
Iran
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran would remain in the international accord, but scolded Trump for his decision. In “exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty,” the Iranian leader said. Rouhani said he would like to speak with five nations that remain in the deal, but he simultaneously warned that “whenever it is needed, [Iran] will start enriching uranium more than before.”
Rouhani accused Trump of “pyschological warfare” while the president of Iran’s parliament, Al Laridschani, said the US president lacked the mental capacity to deal with problems. Lawmakers on Wednesday set a paper US flag on fire in the Iranian parliament and yelled, “Death to America!”
Middle East
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump’s “historic move,” calling the deal a “recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world.”
Israel is a close ally of the United States and Netanyahu was previously in favor of scrapping the deal. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two other US allies, also praised Trump’s announcement.
“Iran used economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to continue its activities to destabilise the region, particularly by developing ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist groups in the region,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, tweeted that the accord “would have led to a regional nuclear race with little trust in Iran’s intentions.”
US politicians divided
In a rare move, former US President Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated the current deal, called Trump’s decision “misguided” in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
“The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working — that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current US Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in America’s interest — it has significantly rolled back Iran’s nuclear program,” Obama said.
“In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one Administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America’s credibility, and puts us at odds with the world’s major powers.”
American congressional leaders split over Trump’s decision to take the US out of the Iran nuclear deal.
Senate majority leader, Republican Mitch McConnell, said the Iran deal was a “deeply flawed agreement” and shares Trump’s commitment that “Iran should never be able to acquire or develop a nuclear weapon.”
Conversely, Senate minority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, said it appears the Trump administration has no plan going forward.