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A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 15 February 2019
Pence urges Europe to quit Iran deal, stop busting sanctions

By MATTHEW LEE Because of European re-
Associated Press luctance to attend a con-
WARSAW, Poland (AP) ference focused only on
— The Trump administra- Iran, Pompeo and other
tion lashed out at some U.S. officials had sought
of America's closest tradi- to broaden the scope to
tional allies Thursday, ac- include other Middle East
cusing Britain, France and topics. The schedule in-
Germany of trying to bust cluded sessions on the
U.S. sanctions against Iran Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
and calling on European Syria, Yemen, cybercrime
nations to join the United and terrorism.
States in withdrawing from "No one country will domi-
the Iranian nuclear deal. nate the discussion today,
In an unusually blunt nor will any one issue domi-
speech to a Middle East nate our talks," Pompeo
conference in Poland, said at the opening of the
U.S. Vice President Mike conference,
Pence slammed the three But Pence's comments, as
countries and the Euro- well as earlier remarks by
pean Union as a whole for Pompeo, made clear the
remaining parties to the meeting was largely fo-
landmark 2015 agreement cused on isolating Iran.
after President Donald United States Vice President Mike Pence, right, talks to the media during a bilateral meeting with Before the event opened,
Trump withdrew from it last Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Pompeo met with Israeli
year and re-imposed tough Associated Press Prime Minister Benjamin
sanctions on Iran. Netanyahu and said, "You
The harsh criticism threat- capable of working to- Iran, weaken the EU, and France have vigorously can't achieve peace and
ened to further chill U.S.- gether on the issue. create still more distance defended the new pay- stability in the Middle East
European ties that are Czaputowicz said the U.S. between Europe and the ment system as necessary without confronting Iran. It's
already badly strained and Europe "share the United States," the vice to preserve the Iran ac- just not possible."
on many issues, including same diagnosis of the situa- president said. cord, under which Teh- Netanyahu's office re-
trade and defense spend- tion," which is "the negative Pence then called for ran was granted billions of leased a video from a
ing. And it underscored role played by Iran." But he Europe to abandon the dollars in sanctions relief in closed session of the con-
the stark two-year trans- also noted that the U.S. and nuclear agreement alto- exchange for curbs on its ference in which Bahrain
Atlantic divide over Iran Europe differ on how to ap- gether, making explicit a nuclear program. Foreign Minister Khalid Al
that manifested itself again proach the matter. demand that Trump ad- They are also highly un- Khalifa tells an audience
ahead of the Warsaw con- In his earlier speech, Pence ministration officials had likely to withdraw from the that he grew up believing
ference co-hosted by the showed just how sharp that previously only hinted at. agreement, a signature for- the Israeli-Palestinian dis-
U.S. and Poland. difference is. "The time has come for our eign policy achievement of pute is "the most important
France and Germany de- He was harshly critical of European partners to with- the Obama administration. issue" in the region.
clined to send their top Britain, France and Ger- draw from the Iran nuclear Their governments have But later, he said, "we saw a
diplomats to the ministe- many for unveiling a new deal and join with us as we repeatedly expressed sup- more toxic one, in fact the
rial-level meeting. EU for- financial mechanism last bring the economic and port for it since Trump de- most toxic in our modern
eign policy chief Federica month that U.S. officials be- diplomatic pressure nec- clared the U.S. would pull history, which came from
Mogherini also stayed lieve is intended to keep essary to give the Iranian out. the Islamic Republic, from
away due to concerns it the nuclear deal alive by people, the region and The U.N.'s atomic watch- Iran."
would become an anti-Iran evading American sanc- the world the peace secu- dog and Trump's own intelli- Pence opened his key-
vehicle. Britain, France and tions. Pence praised other rity and freedom they de- gence chiefs have said Iran note address by lauding
Germany, along with the nations for complying with serve," he said. remains in compliance with the Trump administration's
rest of the EU, continue to U.S. sanctions by reduc- Niels Annen, a German the agreement despite the commitment to fighting
support the nuclear deal ing Iranian oil imports, but deputy foreign minister who U.S. withdrawal. "radical Islamic terrorism," a
as the best way to prevent he said the Europeans fell participated in the confer- Pence, however, said Iran's term he used in some form
Iran from developing atom- short. ence, told reporters after adherence to the deal's at least seven times.
ic weapons. "Sadly, some of our leading Pence spoke that Europe terms is irrelevant. He said He hailed gains made
At the close of the confer- European partners have has a common position on the accord was fatally against the Islamic State
ence, Secretary of State not been nearly as coop- the need to preserve the flawed to begin with as it group in Iraq and Syria,
Mike Pompeo and his Pol- erative," Pence said. "In nuclear deal, and he dis- does not prevent Iran from where the extremists are
ish counterpart Jacek Cza- fact, they have led the ef- missed U.S. concerns about obtaining the technology being ousted from their last
putowicz both noted differ- fort to create mechanisms the new financial mecha- or material to eventually remaining areas of control.
ences of opinion over poli- to break up our sanctions." nism. He said Germany develop a nuclear weap- Despite Trump's abrupt de-
cies toward Iran. But, they He said the mechanism, a believes both pressure and on over time. cision to withdraw Ameri-
said all participants agreed barter-type payment sys- nuclear deal need to be "Compliance is not the is- can troops from Syria,
on the threat posed by the tem that is designed to maintained. sue; the deal is the issue," Pence said the U.S. would
country, which is celebrat- allow businesses to skirt di- "We believe we need both," he said, calling Iran the remain in the region to en-
ing the 40th anniversary of rect financial transactions he said. "We need pressure "single greatest threat" to sure the militant organiza-
the Islamic Revolution this with Iran, is "an effort to on Iran ... but we also need security in the Middle East. tion does not return.
week. break American sanctions cooperation on the basis Iran was not invited to the "We will continue to hunt
"There was not a defender against Iran's murderous re- of this international agree- Warsaw conference and down the remnants of ISIS
of Iran in the room," Pom- gime." ment and we will continue called the event a "circus" wherever and whenever
peo said, adding that the "It's an ill-advised step that to pursue this together." aimed at "demonizing" the they rear their ugly head,"
U.S. and Europe were still that will only strengthen Germany, Britain and country. he said.q