Page 6 - aruba-today-20201217

A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 17 december 2020
Iran leaders: Biden arrival won't guarantee better relations

By AMIR VAHDAT Associ- Biden has suggested the
ated Press U.S. could rejoin Tehran's
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with
supreme leader and the world powers, from which
country's president both Trump unilaterally pulled
warned America on America in 2018 and im-
Wednesday that the de- posed harsher sanctions on
parture of President Donald Iran. That decision marked
Trump does not immedi- the start of increased ten-
ately mean better relations sions between the two
between the two nations. countries as Iran aban-
The remarks come as Iran doned uranium enrich-
approaches the first an- ment limits and the Mideast
niversary of the U.S. drone saw a series of escalating
strike that killed Revolu- incidents and attacks.
tionary Guard Gen. Qas- In response to Soleimani's
sem Soleimani in Bagh- death, Tehran launched a
dad, an attack that nearly ballistic missile attack that
plunged Washington and injured dozens of U.S. troops
Tehran into an open war in Iraq. That same night, it
after months of tensions. also mistakenly shot down
In recent weeks, a scientist a Ukrainian airliner taking
who founded Iran's military In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Has- off from Tehran, killing all
nuclear program two de- san Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. 176 people on board.
cades ago was gunned Associated Press Hoping to pressure Europe,
down in an attack in a ru- Iran's parliament recently
ral area outside of Tehran away from the 81-year-old ica also did bad things to not excited Mr. Biden is tak- passed a bill calling on Teh-
that The Associated Press Khamenei, who wore a you and the Iranian nation." ing office, but we are very ran to increase its uranium
accessed for the first time face mask due to the coro- Earlier in the day, Rouhani, happy Mr. Trump is gone." enrichment to 20%, a short
Wednesday. navirus pandemic still rag- speaking during a Cabinet "The upcoming American technical step from weap-
Supreme Leader Ayatol- ing in Iran. meeting, made a similar administration can choose ons-grade levels, and to
lah Ali Khamenei spoke in "You saw that what Trump's point to criticize Trump — at what to do," Rouhani said. throw out international in-
Tehran at the Imam Kho- America and (former Presi- one point even saying the "The path is open. It's up to spectors. Rouhani's govern-
meini Hosseinieh, or con- dent Barack) Obama's U.S. president "has commit- them if they are grateful or ment has opposed the bill,
gregation hall, where he America did to you," ted so many crimes, he was ungrateful. If they want the exposing a rift inside Iran's
attended a meeting with Khamenei said. "The hostili- an assassin and a terrorist." right path, it's ready. If they civilian government that
Soleimani's family and top ties are not just for Trump's "Some people say, 'You want the wrong path, that the supreme leader ap-
military leaders. They all America, which ends when are excited for Mr. Biden,'" one is ready for them as peared to touch on in his
sat some 5 meters (16 feet) he leaves. Obama's Amer- Rouhani said. "No, we are well." speech Wednesday. q

Erdogan: U.S. aims to stymie growing Turkish defense industry

more independent. again strictly dependent Russian technology is no risk
The U.S. sanctions, imposed on (the United States)," Er- to NATO systems because
on Monday over Turkey's dogan said. "If it weren't they wouldn't be integrat-
procurement of Russia's ad- the S-400 issue, they would ed into defense strategies
vanced S-400 system, are have used other issues." involving the S-400s.
part of a U.S. law known as Erdogan added: "What Erdogan on Mondays reit-
CAATSA, which are aimed will happen now? We will erated Turkey's position that
at pushing back on Russian work twice as hard as in Ankara wasn't offered the
influence. the past to make our de- U.S. Patriot systems, leaving
The move is the first time fense industry independent it with no other option but
that the law has been used in all aspects and to has- to buy the Russian system
to penalize a U.S. ally. ten projects undertaken by for its national security.
They target Turkey's Presi- our Presidency of Defense The United States says
dency of Defense Indus- Industries. We will provide talks on a potential Patriot
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a cabinet tries, Ismail Demir and three even greater support to deal failed over Turkey's
meeting, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. other senior officials. The our defense industry com- insistence on technology
Associated Press penalties block any assets panies." transfer rights that would
the four officials may have The U.S. had previously have allowed it eventually
By SUZAN FRASER his country's rising defense in U.S. jurisdictions and bar kicked Turkey out of its F-35 to make the missiles them-
Associated Press industry. their entry into the U.S. They stealth jet program, say- selves. This ran against U.S.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) In a speech delivered dur- also include a ban on most ing their use alongside the manufacturers' propriety
— Turkish President Re- ing the inauguration of a export licenses, loans and Russian technology would interests in addition to any
cep Tayyip Erdogan on highway in central Turkey, credits to the agency. jeopardize the safety of national security concerns.
Wednesday portrayed U.S. Erdogan also said the sanc- "The real aim (of the sanc- the fighter jets. Washington Turkey took delivery of the
sanctions imposed on Tur- tions would increase his tions) is to block the prog- also says the Russian system S-400 missiles in the summer
key over its purchase of a government's determina- ress that we have made wouldn't be interoperable of 2019 and tested them for
Russian air defense system tion to make the Turkish de- lately in the defense indus- with NATO systems. the first time in October.
as an attempt to obstruct fense industry stronger and try and to make us once Turkey had insisted that the q