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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 7 January 2020
EU regrets Iran nuclear moves but hopes to keep deal alive

By LORNE COOK complying, as it has contin-
Associated Press ued to do so far despite its
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- belligerent rhetoric.
pean Union expressed re- "We have to rely on, and
gret on Monday over Iran's see, what the Internation-
announcement that it will al Atomic Energy Agen-
no longer be bound by all cy says about the deeds
its nuclear obligations, but on the ground," Borrell's
remained determined to spokesman, Peter Stano,
keep alive an international told reporters.
deal preventing the Islamic The IAEA told The Associat-
Republic from developing ed Press that it was aware
atomic weapons. of Iran's announcement,
The 2015 nuclear agree- but noted that Tehran's
ment has been on life sup- statement "also said that
port since President Donald Iran's cooperation with the
Trump unilaterally aban- Agency will continue as
doned it in 2018, triggering before."
sanctions that have hurt "IAEA inspectors continue
Iran's moribund economy. to carry out verification
Since then, Tehran has and monitoring activities in
gradually rolled back its the country," the agency
commitment to the deal. said in an e-mailed state-
After its top general was as- ment. "The IAEA will keep
sassinated in a U.S. drone In this photo released by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, technicians work at the Arak its member states informed
heavy water reactor's secondary circuit, as officials and media visit the site, near Arak, 150 miles
attack, Iran announced southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 23, 2019. of any developments in this
over the weekend that it Associated Press regard in a timely manner
would no longer respect as appropriate."
limits set on how many cen- nuclear deal and he said it mentation of the nuclear under which Tehran limits Iran's announcement and
trifuges it can use to enrich could be reversed. deal by all parties "is now its nuclear ambitions in ex- the U.S. killing of Gen. Qas-
uranium. Foreign Minister EU foreign policy chief more important than ever, change for economic in- sem Soleimani in Baghdad
Javad Zarif said the move Josep Borrell expressed for regional stability and centives, but it relies on the last week has sparked a
was a "remedial step" taken "deep regret" at the news. global security." U.N.'s nuclear watchdog flurry of diplomatic activity
within the framework of the He tweeted that full imple- The EU supervises the deal to monitor whether Iran is in Europe. q

Merkel to meet Putin in Moscow for talks on Mideast crises

Associated Press He added that talks with
BERLIN (AP) — German the Iranian foreign minister
Chancellor Angela Merkel were planned "soon."
will travel to Moscow on Germany may struggle to
Saturday to meet with Rus- portray itself as an honest
sian President Vladimir Pu- broker between Washing-
tin amid growing tensions ton and Tehran, however.
in the Middle East and else- Iran summoned Germany's
where, officials said Mon- charge d'affaires in Tehran
day. to the foreign ministry Sun-
Merkel and Putin will discuss day to express annoyance
"current international ques- over comments by German
tions," said Steffen Seibert, officials that suggested Ber-
the chancellor's spokes- lin considered Soleimani's
man. killing to be justified.
Those will include Syria, Lib- Asked to elaborate on
ya, Iran, Iraq, Ukraine and about Germany's stance,
bilateral ties. Merkel's spokesman said
"Russia is an important play- that the killing of Soleimani
er on the world stage and "was preceded by Iranian
as a permanent member actions," citing attacks on
of the (U.N.) Security Coun- Saudi Arabian oil facilities,
cil it's also indispensable tankers in the Strait of Hor-
when it comes to solving German Chancellor Angela Merkel takes questions as part of a meeting of the German parlia- muz and the U.S. Embassy
political conflicts," Seibert ment, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. in Baghdad.
said. Germany is currently Associated Press "We have always stressed,
a non-permanent member and perhaps this is an op-
of the Security Council. ment unilaterally in 2018. Germany has offered to Maas, who will accom- portunity to do so once
Germany and Russia are Merkel has already spo- mediate between all par- pany Merkel to Moscow, more, that we see these re-
among the world powers ken with Turkish President ties following the killing of spent "all weekend on the gional activities by (Iran) in
that have been trying to Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Iranian Gen. Qassem So- phone" with his European particular in a very critical
salvage the 2015 nuclear Monday about the situ- leimani in a U.S. airstrike in and American counter- way and that they play a
deal with Iran after the U.S. ation in the Middle East, Iraq last week. parts, his spokesman Rainer negative role in this region,"
withdrew from the agree- Seibert said. Foreign Minister Heiko Breul told reporters. Seibert said.q