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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 19 July 2017
Trump lets Iran deal live, but signals he may not for long
By JOSH LEDERMAN deal, preserving a potent
Associated Press argument should he ulti-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- mately decide to exit the
dent Donald Trump was pact. The deadline comes
eager to declare Iran in up again in three months.
breach of the nuclear deal Given Trump’s strong re-
but was talked out of it by luctance to certify Iran’s
national security aides who compliance, it’s highly un-
rushed to the Oval Office to likely he will agree to do it
persuade him as a midnight again, officials and others
deadline approached, ad- familiar with Trump’s Iran
ministration officials say. policy said. The individuals
Trump agreed Monday weren’t authorized to com-
night to let the issue go, but ment publicly and request-
only for a few more months ed anonymity.
— and only after last-min- Coupled with the new
ute changes to distance sanctions, the move raised
Trump further from the deal. optimism among critics
Rather than say, as of the deal that Trump’s
planned, that Iran was liv- broader Iran review, ex-
ing up to its end of the deal, pected to conclude in the
Trump’s aides found a way next few weeks, will mark
to let the deal continue for President Donald Trump, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, left, and National Security Adviser a major shift in the U.S.
now without technically H.R. McMaster, speaks while having lunch with services members in the Roosevelt Room of the approach to the Islamic
confirming that Iran is com- White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 18, 2017, in Washington. Republic. “What that re-
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) ally foreshadows is once
plying. The administration the policy review is done,
followed up the announce- we’re going to see a mas-
ment with new, non-nucle- sive increase in pressure —
ar sanctions on Iranians on not just sanctions pressure
Tuesday to show Trump is but using all instruments
indeed serious about con- of American power,” said
fronting Tehran. Mark Dubowitz, who runs
The compromise, relayed the hawkish Foundation for
to Congress in the final few Defense of Democracies
hours before the deadline, and has advised the ad-
lets Iran continue enjoy- ministration on Iran.
ing relief — for now — from The drama came to a
nuclear sanctions lifted as head Monday when Trump
part of the 2015 deal. It also abruptly put the certifica-
gives Trump some cover to tion on hold, even as his
declare publicly that Iran is administration had already
violating “the spirit” of the started announcing it.q
Trump had second conversation
with Putin in Germany: reports
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- Trump and Putin were also
dent Donald Trump had captured on video shak-
another, previously undis- ing hands and exchanging
closed conversation with a few words after they ar-
Russian President Vladimir rived at the G-20 summit of
Putin at a summit it Ger- industrialized and develop-
many. ing nations.
White House spokesman Anton would not specify
Sean Spicer and National the duration of the meet-
Security Council spokes- ing. But he said the discus-
man Michael Anton con- sion was casual and should
firmed that Trump and Pu- not be characterized as a
tin spoke privately at a din- “meeting” or even a less
ner for world leaders and formal, but official, “pull-
their spouses at the Group aside.”
of 20 summit in Hamburg, “A conversation over des-
Germany. sert should not be charac-
The conversation came terized as a meeting,” he
hours after their first official said.
meeting on July 7, which A few leaders had their
was originally scheduled translators with them, but
to last just half an hour, but no other delegates attend-
stretched on for more than ed the dinner, he said.q
two.
