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Thursday 20 april 2017
Tillerson declares the Iran nuclear deal a failure

JOSH LEDERMAN wants to show he’s being
Associated Press tougher than Obama to-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sec- ward Iran, but on the other
retary of State Rex Tillerson hand, he’s not yet ready to
declared the Iran nuclear rip up the deal.
deal a failure on Wednes- Trump as a candidate
day but left open the possi- vowed to discard or re-
bility the Trump administra- negotiate the pact, and
tion will uphold it nonethe- shortly after taking office his
less. administration put Tehran
The top American diplo- “on notice” that its trouble-
mat sought to reinforce some behavior would no
the notion that the U.S. is longer be tolerated. But
aggressively countering neither Iran nor the other
Iran’s destabilizing behav- world powers that negoti-
ior throughout the Middle ated the agreement have
East, even though Presi- any interest in re-opening
dent Donald Trump so far
has not pulled out of the the deal, and U.S. compa-
deal. nies stand to lose billions if
Tillerson spoke a day af- the deal is scuttled.
ter certifying to Congress Proponents of the deal
that Iran is complying with have long acknowledged
its obligations under the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the U.S.-Saudi Arabia CEO Summit, Wednesday, April it doesn’t address concerns
2015 deal, a requirement 19, 2017, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) about Iran’s non-nuclear
for Tehran to continue re- behavior, such as its ballistic
ceiving relief from nuclear ing a nuclear state.” to North Korea. Like with Tillerson’s hastily arranged missile program or support
sanctions. He said the deal, bro- the North, Tillerson said, the statement before cameras for Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“The JCPOA fails to achieve kered by former President Trump administration was at the State Department The deal’s critics, though,
the objective of a non-nu- Barack Obama’s admin- unwilling to be patient with reflected the competing say it fails to achieve even
clear Iran,” Tillerson said, istration along with other Iran, ticking through a list forces pulling at the Trump that goal because key re-
using an acronym for the world powers, represent- of countries where he said administration as it devel- strictions on Iran’s nuclear
2015 nuclear deal. “It only ed the “same failed ap- Iran was supporting terror- ops its policy toward Iran. development sunset after
delays their goal of becom- proach” the U.S. has taken ism and violence. On the one hand, Trump a decade or more. q

US tells North Korea: We don’t want a fight, don’t start one

EDITH M. LEDERER declared priority of North
Associated Press Korea, officially the Demo-
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — cratic People’s Republic of
The U.S. ambassador to Korea or DPRK.
the United Nations had a Guterres singled out the
message for North Korea countries “in the front line”
on Wednesday: “We’re of contacts with North
not trying to pick a fight so Korea — the U.S., China,
don’t try and give us one.” South Korea, Russia and Ja-
“The ball is in their court,” pan — and said everybody
Ambassador Nikki Hal- involved should “make sure
ey told reporters. “They that everything is done for
shouldn’t try and play at the threat represented by
this point.” the development in rela-
Haley’s comments followed tion to missiles and in re-
President Donald Trump’s lation to the potential for
recent statement that the nuclear capability not to
U.S. wants peace — and become a threat to the in-
that how much North Ko- ternational community.”
rean ruler Kim Jong Un Haley, the current president
also wants peace will be a of the U.N. Security Council,
deciding factor in easing said members were work-
tensions between the two In this photo, United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley attends a session at ing on a statement con-
countries. the United Nations headquarters. On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, Haley had a message for North demning the latest failed
Trump has been pressur- Korea: “We’re not trying to pick a fight so don’t try and give us one.” missile launch.
ing China, North Korea’s (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Diplomats said the U.S.-
main benefactor, to help General Antonio Guterres Tensions have escalated 24 ballistic missile tests last drafted statement would
defuse the situation over told reporters the United over North Korean moves year, defying six Security strongly condemn the
North Korea’s develop- Nations fully backs efforts to accelerate its arms pro- Council sanctions resolu- launch and express the
ment of atomic weapons of all states trying to ensure grams, including devel- tions banning any testing, council’s “utmost concern”
and long-range missiles but “that North Korea doesn’t oping an intercontinental and it has conducted addi- at North Korea’s “highly
he has also warned that acquire the capacities that ballistic missile that could tional missile tests this year, destabilizing behavior and
the U.S. will settle the issue would become a threat, reach the United States. including one on Saturday flagrant and provocative
alone if other countries not only for the region but in The North conducted two that failed. Developing a defiance” of council reso-
won’t help. U.N. Secretary- a wider area of the world.” nuclear bomb tests and hydrogen bomb is also a lutions. q