Page 8 - aruba-today-20190509

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 9 May 2019
Europeans struggle to preserve Iran nuclear accord

By DAVID RISING not to take "further escala-
BERLIN (AP) — The world tory steps," while emphasiz-
powers struggling to pre- ing Britain was not ready to
serve a nuclear deal with give up on the JCPOA.
Iran are facing an increas- "For as long as Iran keeps its
ingly uphill battle, with a commitments then so, too,
new deadline from Teh- will the United Kingdom,"
ran on finding a solution he said.
to make up for last year's Hunt said Britain and the
unilateral U.S. withdrawal U.S. agreed on the need
from the accord and the to confront the threat from
increasing economic hard- Iran, but "it's no secret we
ship that has put on the Is- have a different approach
lamic Republic. on how best to achieve
After Iran notified Britain, that."
Russia, China, the European Pompeo was restrained in
Union, France and Germa- his own assessment of the
ny of its intentions in a letter, letter that Iran sent to the
Iranian President Hassan JCPOA group outlining its
Rouhani said in a televised intentions.
address Wednesday that "I think it was intentionally
the nations have 60 days ambiguous," he said. "We'll
to come up with a plan to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, right, at 10 have to wait to see what
shield his country from the Downing Street in central London, Wednesday May 8, 2019. Iran's actions actually are.
sanctions imposed by U.S. Associated Press They have made have
President Donald Trump af- made a number of state-
ter he pulled Washington lapsing, Iran's economy with Iran; a complicated with Wednesday's threat to ments about actions they
out of the deal. has been struggling and its barter-type system set up resume higher enrichment have threatened to do in
"If the five countries join ne- currency has plummeted by the Europeans to allow of uranium in 60 days unless order to get the world to
gotiations and help Iran to in value after the re-imposi- their businesses to skirt di- new terms are negotiated. jump."
reach its benefits in the field tion of U.S. sanctions. rect financial transactions Despite Rouhani's threaten- In his television address,
of oil and banking, Iran will Later Wednesday, Trump with Iran — and thus evade ing rhetoric and the now- Rouhani also tried a gambit
return to its commitments issued an executive order possible U.S. sanctions — is ticking clock, Europeans designed to hit a sore spot
according to the nuclear announcing new sanctions not yet finalized. were cautiously hoping the for Europe, over the issue of
deal," Rouhani said. targeting Iran's steel, alumi- Iran has continued abiding Iranian president was not migration and drug-smug-
The 2015 deal, intended to num, copper and iron sec- by the stipulations of the on the verge of breaking gling.
keep Iran from obtaining a tors, which provide foreign deal, according to the In- the deal but instead seek- Noting that Iran now coop-
nuclear weapon, promised currency earnings for Teh- ternational Atomic Energy ing to show strength do- erates on issues like control-
economic incentives in ex- ran. Agency, but had been ex- mestically as the economy ling immigration and tar-
change for restrictions on its Many international corpo- pressing increasing frustra- slumps. geting Afghan opium and
nuclear activities. Despite rations are reluctant to risk tion with the inability of the German Foreign Minister hashish traffickers, he said:
efforts so far by the others running afoul of Washing- Europeans to provide eco- Heiko Maas said his office "You are obliged ... for your
to keep the deal from col- ton and have severed ties nomic relief, culminating had been in contact with own security, for protecting
all the others involved in your youths against drugs
the Iran deal, known as the as well as controlling influx
Police say 12 injured in northern Joint Comprehensive Plan of immigrants."
of Action, or JCPOA, since There was no immediate
Germany rail crash the announcement to see response from officials in
what could be done to get Europe, which has seen an
influx of refugees and mi-
Tehran to back down.
"Our opinion is and remains: grants from the Middle East
many. We want to preserve the in recent years.
The crash occurred early agreement, in particular to China, a key Iranian ally
Wednesday when a re- prevent Iran from coming and trading partner, sug-
gional train hit a truck into possession of nuclear gested that Washington's
stopped on a rail crossing weapons," he told report- recent decision to deploy
in the state of Schleswig- ers. "We don't need further an aircraft carrier group
Holstein, not far from the escalation in the region." and a bomber wing to the
Danish border. Similarly, French Defense Middle East to confront un-
A spokesman for Neum- Minister Florence Parly told specified threats from Teh-
uenster police, Michael BFMTV television that "noth- ran had added fuel to the
Heinrich, said it was un- ing would be worse than fire.
clear why the tractor-trailer Iran leaving this deal." "We regret that the U.S.
stopped on the tracks. The "We absolutely want to has further aggravated the
driver managed to jump keep this agreement alive," tension on the Iranian nu-
Firefighters stand at the railway line in Alt Duvenstedt, near from the cabin shortly be- Parly said. clear issue," Foreign Ministry
Rendsburg, Germany, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. fore the crash. At a meeting with U.S. spokesman Geng Shuang
Associated Press German news agency dpa Secretary of State Mike said. "We call on all par-
reported that the train par- Pompeo in London, British ties concerned to exercise
Associated Press two of them seriously, after tially derailed, interrupting Foreign Secretary Jeremy restraint, strengthen dia-
BERLIN (AP) — Police say 12 a train crashed into a trans- traffic between Hamburg Hunt called Iran's threat logue and avoid escalat-
people have been injured, port truck in northern Ger- and Flensburg.q "unwelcome" and urged it ing tensions."q