A day after flaunting his friendship with Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron forcefully challenged many of the US&nbsp;president's policies on Wednesday, urging the United States to engage more with the world, step up the fight against climate change and stay in the Iran nuclear pact for now.

Capping a three-day visit, Macron repeatedly criticised the president's isolationist principles in a speech to a joint meeting of Congress, an honour given to a small number of visiting foreign leaders.

Macron said US&nbsp;involvement in the global community was vital and Trump's opposition to the Paris climate accord and international trade agreements was short-sighted.

The French president even took a dig at Trump's famous 2016 campaign slogan, calling for the United States to help "make our planet great again."

Macron has developed a strong relationship with Trump at a time when many European leaders are keeping a distance. During the visit, they repeatedly shook and grabbed hands, exchanged kisses on the cheek, and slapped each other's backs while praising their friendship.&nbsp;

Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-brushes-dandruff-off-perfect-macron-132660">Trump brushes 'dandruff' off Macron, wants to make him 'perfect'</a>

But before Congress, Macron suggested he wanted more than just good optics.

Without mentioning Trump by name, he challenged the Republican president's protectionist and nationalist impulses and said modern economic and security challenges must be a shared global responsibility that is "based on a new breed of multilateralism."

"The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism. You are the one now who has to help preserve and reinvent it," Macron said.

IRAN DEAL

He said an international nuclear deal with Iran, which Trump has harshly criticized, was not perfect but must remain in place until a replacement is forged.

"It is true to say that this agreement may not address all concerns and very important concerns," Macron said. "But we should not abandon it without having something more substantial instead. That's my position."

Trump has often vowed to pull the United States out of the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six major powers. He will decide by May 12 whether to restore US&nbsp;economic sanctions on Tehran, which could be a first step to ending the deal.

Macron, a centrist, also said he was confident the United States would eventually come back into the Paris climate accord aimed at combating global warming.

"Let us work together in order to make our planet great again," he said. "We are killing our planet - let us face it, there is no Planet B."

Macron's speech drew frequent cheers and applause, particularly from Democratic lawmakers when he took aim at Trump's views. Afterward, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said Macron's call for global engagement was timely.

"I hope that everyone at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue takes President Macron’s words to heart," Schumer said on the Senate floor.

Trump had tweeted earlier on Wednesday that he was, "Looking forward to watching President Macron of France address a Joint Session of Congress today. This is a great honour and seldom allowed to be done...he will be GREAT!"

There was no immediate reaction from the White House afterward to Macron's speech.

Macron's visit also included efforts to convince Trump to exempt Europe from steel tariffs and convince the United States to maintain its military presence in Syria. France joined the United States and Britain in launching air strikes this month in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack blamed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But the Iran deal was the centerpiece of this week's talks.

The two leaders pledged to seek stronger measures to contain Iran but Trump made no commitments to stay in the nuclear deal, negotiated by former President Barack Obama. Trump also threatened Tehran with retaliation if it restarted its nuclear programme.

Macron has sought a new approach that would see the United States and Europe agree to address any Iranian nuclear activity after 2025, tackle Iran's ballistic missile programme and seek a political solution to contain Iran in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

He said France remains committed to the bottom line goal of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

"Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapon. Not now not in five years, not in 10 years, never," he told lawmakers.

If Trump reaches an agreement on Iran with France and other European powers, Congress is expected to pass legislation to tweak it.

Lawmakers are widely expected, for example, to change the frequency with which Trump has to report to Congress that Iran is complying with the pact. They could also change some of the expiration dates in the agreement.

Macron is the eighth French president to address a joint meeting of Congress, and the first since Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan's office said. The last foreign leader to address a joint meeting was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces difficult talks with Trump on Friday during a visit at a time when Washington and Berlin are at odds over a range of issues from trade to Iran.

Capping a three-day visit, Macron repeatedly criticised the president's isolationist principles in a speech to a joint meeting of Congress. The French president even took a dig at Trump's famous 2016 campaign slogan, calling for the United States to help 'make our planet great again'

A day after flaunting his friendship with Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron forcefully challenged many of the US president's policies on Wednesday, urging the United States to engage more with the world, step up the fight against climate change and stay in the Iran nuclear pact for now. Capping a three-day visit, Macron repeatedly criticised the president's isolationist principles in a speech to a joint meeting of Congress, an honour given to a small number of visiting foreign leaders. Macron said US involvement in the global community was vital and Trump's opposition to the Paris climate accord and international trade agreements was short-sighted. The French president even took a dig at Trump's famous 2016 campaign slogan, calling for the United States to help "make our planet great again." Macron has developed a strong relationship with Trump at a time when many European leaders are keeping a distance. During the visit, they repeatedly shook and grabbed hands, exchanged kisses on the cheek, and slapped each other's backs while praising their friendship. Also watch: Trump brushes 'dandruff' off Macron, wants to make him 'perfect' But before Congress, Macron suggested he wanted more than just good optics. Without mentioning Trump by name, he challenged the Republican president's protectionist and nationalist impulses and said modern economic and security challenges must be a shared global responsibility that is "based on a new breed of multilateralism." "The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism. You are the one now who has to help preserve and reinvent it," Macron said. IRAN DEAL He said an international nuclear deal with Iran, which Trump has harshly criticized, was not perfect but must remain in place until a replacement is forged. "It is true to say that this agreement may not address all concerns and very important concerns," Macron said. "But we should not abandon it without having something more substantial instead. That's my position." Trump has often vowed to pull the United States out of the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six major powers. He will decide by May 12 whether to restore US economic sanctions on Tehran, which could be a first step to ending the deal. Macron, a centrist, also said he was confident the United States would eventually come back into the Paris climate accord aimed at combating global warming. "Let us work together in order to make our planet great again," he said. "We are killing our planet - let us face it, there is no Planet B." Macron's speech drew frequent cheers and applause, particularly from Democratic lawmakers when he took aim at Trump's views. Afterward, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said Macron's call for global engagement was timely. "I hope that everyone at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue takes President Macron’s words to heart," Schumer said on the Senate floor. Trump had tweeted earlier on Wednesday that he was, "Looking forward to watching President Macron of France address a Joint Session of Congress today. This is a great honour and seldom allowed to be done...he will be GREAT!" There was no immediate reaction from the White House afterward to Macron's speech. Macron's visit also included efforts to convince Trump to exempt Europe from steel tariffs and convince the United States to maintain its military presence in Syria. France joined the United States and Britain in launching air strikes this month in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack blamed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But the Iran deal was the centerpiece of this week's talks. The two leaders pledged to seek stronger measures to contain Iran but Trump made no commitments to stay in the nuclear deal, negotiated by former President Barack Obama. Trump also threatened Tehran with retaliation if it restarted its nuclear programme. Macron has sought a new approach that would see the United States and Europe agree to address any Iranian nuclear activity after 2025, tackle Iran's ballistic missile programme and seek a political solution to contain Iran in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. He said France remains committed to the bottom line goal of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. "Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapon. Not now not in five years, not in 10 years, never," he told lawmakers. If Trump reaches an agreement on Iran with France and other European powers, Congress is expected to pass legislation to tweak it. Lawmakers are widely expected, for example, to change the frequency with which Trump has to report to Congress that Iran is complying with the pact. They could also change some of the expiration dates in the agreement. Macron is the eighth French president to address a joint meeting of Congress, and the first since Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan's office said. The last foreign leader to address a joint meeting was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016. German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces difficult talks with Trump on Friday during a visit at a time when Washington and Berlin are at odds over a range of issues from trade to Iran.

After hugs and kisses, Macron tears into Trump. Says forget America First, 'make our planet great again'

French President Macron <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-will-face-severe-consequences-if-nuclear-deal-not-accepted-iran-president-132538">and President Trump today </a>discussed the Iran nuclear deal at the Oval office in the White House with both leaders keen to hammer out a "new deal".

Trump had earlier termed the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the previous Obama administration as a "terrible deal",&nbsp"insane" and "ridiculous".

Iran has threatened to hit back at the US if Trump decides to do away with the deal, a decision which must be reached by May 12th.

"I can say that we have had very frank discussions on that, just the two of us," Macron said at the press conference with Trump, adding, "we, therefore, wish from now on to work on a new deal with Iran."

"I think we will have a great shot at doing a much bigger, maybe, deal," Trump said.

"This is a deal with decayed foundations. It's a bad deal, it's a bad structure. It's falling down," Trump added.&nbsp

"We're going to see what happens on the 12th," the US president added.

Trump said he and Macron could have an agreement soon on the Iran deal.&nbsp

"We could have at least an agreement among ourselves very quickly. I think we're fairly close to understanding each other," the US president said.

Macron had earlier supported the Iran deal asserting that it allowed the countries monitoring it a realistic chance to keep Tehran's nuclear ambition under control.

He had told Trump the Iran accord is part of a "broader picture" of security in the region which included the volatile situation in Syria.

On Syria, Trump said: "We want to come home. We'll be coming home. But we want to leave a strong and lasting footprint, and that was a very big part of our discussion."

The US president also said that a new NAFTA trade deal could be completed quickly.

<iframe allow="autoplay encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/guWM1TOPHg4" width="560"></iframe>

Trump had earlier termed the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the previous Obama administration as a "terrible deal", "insane" and "ridiculous".

French President Macron and President Trump today discussed the Iran nuclear deal at the Oval office in the White House with both leaders keen to hammer out a "new deal". Trump had earlier termed the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the previous Obama administration as a "terrible deal", "insane" and "ridiculous". Iran has threatened to hit back at the US if Trump decides to do away with the deal, a decision which must be reached by May 12th. "I can say that we have had very frank discussions on that, just the two of us," Macron said at the press conference with Trump, adding, "we, therefore, wish from now on to work on a new deal with Iran." "I think we will have a great shot at doing a much bigger, maybe, deal," Trump said. "This is a deal with decayed foundations. It's a bad deal, it's a bad structure. It's falling down," Trump added. "We're going to see what happens on the 12th," the US president added. Trump said he and Macron could have an agreement soon on the Iran deal. "We could have at least an agreement among ourselves very quickly. I think we're fairly close to understanding each other," the US president said. Macron had earlier supported the Iran deal asserting that it allowed the countries monitoring it a realistic chance to keep Tehran's nuclear ambition under control. He had told Trump the Iran accord is part of a "broader picture" of security in the region which included the volatile situation in Syria. On Syria, Trump said: "We want to come home. We'll be coming home. But we want to leave a strong and lasting footprint, and that was a very big part of our discussion." The US president also said that a new NAFTA trade deal could be completed quickly.

'Wish to work on new nuclear deal with Iran,' says Macron after meeting Trump

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized pomp and ceremony on Monday as Macron began a state visit to Washington likely to be dominated by differences with the United States over trade and the nuclear accord with Iran.

As Macron headed to the United States, the Iranian government urged European leaders to convince Trump not to tear up the 2015 deal between Tehran and six world powers.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">Either all or </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">nothing,</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298"> says Iran foreign minister on&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">nuclear</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298"> deal</a>

The French president said on Sunday there was no "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/frances-president-says-he-has-no-plan-b-for-iran-nuclear-deal-132121">Plan B</a>" for keeping a lid on Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

He is on something of a rescue mission for what is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Trump has said he would scrap unless European allies fix by mid-May what he calls "terrible flaws."

"This visit is very important in our current context, with so many uncertainties, troubles and at times threats," Macron said in French remarks as he arrived in Washington.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on European leaders to support the agreement.

"It is either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more important to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith," Zarif wrote on Twitter.

The deal reached between six powers - all of whom but Germany are nuclear-armed - and Tehran put curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

Minutes after Macron touched down in the United States, the White House said it had no announcements on the Iran deal.

"The president has been extremely clear that he thinks it's a bad deal. That certainly has not changed," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Macron said on "Fox News Sunday" it would be better to protect the deal instead of getting rid of it. "Is this agreement perfect and this JCPOA a perfect thing for our relationship with Iran? No. But for nuclear, what do you have as a better option? I don't see it," he said.

CHARM OFFENSIVE

Macron's visit is the first time Trump has hosted a state visit since he took power in January 2017. While the French leader has tried to develop a close relationship with Trump since he took office last May, he has so far seen few tangible results on issues from Iran to climate politics.

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, shortly after their arrival at the Blair House residence, took quickly to the streets of Washington, walking past the White House complex to the Lincoln Memorial and greeting tourists.

Macron brought with him an oak tree sapling for planting on the South Lawn of the White House. The tree came from the Belleau Woods, site of a World War One battle in 1918 where 9,000 Americans died. Trump and Macron shovelled dirt on the freshly planted tree as the cameras clicked. "France is a very special country," said Trump. "It's a great honour."

Trump and his wife, Melania, and the Macrons then flew aboard Trump's Marine One helicopter to dine at Mount Vernon, the Virginia home of George Washington, the first U.S. president and Revolutionary War commander whose alliance with France was critical to victory over the British.

The Trumps and Macrons spent about two hours at Mount Vernon. "We had a great dinner," President Trump told reporters as they boarded the helicopter for the return trip to the White House.

Working meetings will be held at the White House on Tuesday before Macron addresses the U.S. Congress the following day, the anniversary of the day French General Charles de Gaulle addressed a joint session of Congress in 1960.

Trump and Macron began their friendship a year ago in Belgium with a jaw-clenching handshake. While some other European leaders have kept a distance from Trump, Macron has worked hard to remain close to the U.S. president. The two leaders speak frequently by phone.

TRADE TALKS

Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme was for peaceful purposes.

Macron also wants to persuade Trump to exempt European nations from metal tariffs that are part of the U.S. president's plan to reduce chronic trade deficits with countries around the world, chiefly China.

His visit comes at a time of mounting alarm in Europe over the effect that U.S. sanctions on Russia will have on their own manufacturing industries.

French officials said Paris and other European governments were coordinating efforts to persuade Trump to ease sanctions on Russia, including measures against Russian aluminium producers.

"There are concerns raised by the extraterritoriality effects of the new sets of sanctions," a French finance ministry source said. "Europeans ... have jointly warned the U.S. administration about the economic impact and consequences and the need to find solutions."

The official said France, Germany, Italy and Ireland were working together on the matter. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Trump in Washington later in the week.

Macron and Trump are also due to discuss Syria less than two weeks after the United States, France and Britain launched air strikes there in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens.

Macron said last week he believed he had persuaded Trump to keep U.S. troops in Syria, though Trump has been insistent on bringing them home.

As Macron headed to the United States, the Iranian government urged European leaders to convince Trump not to tear up the 2015 deal between Tehran and six world powers

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized pomp and ceremony on Monday as Macron began a state visit to Washington likely to be dominated by differences with the United States over trade and the nuclear accord with Iran. As Macron headed to the United States, the Iranian government urged European leaders to convince Trump not to tear up the 2015 deal between Tehran and six world powers. Also read: Either all or nothing, says Iran foreign minister on nuclear deal The French president said on Sunday there was no "Plan B" for keeping a lid on Tehran's nuclear ambitions. He is on something of a rescue mission for what is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Trump has said he would scrap unless European allies fix by mid-May what he calls "terrible flaws." "This visit is very important in our current context, with so many uncertainties, troubles and at times threats," Macron said in French remarks as he arrived in Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on European leaders to support the agreement. "It is either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more important to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith," Zarif wrote on Twitter. The deal reached between six powers - all of whom but Germany are nuclear-armed - and Tehran put curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Minutes after Macron touched down in the United States, the White House said it had no announcements on the Iran deal. "The president has been extremely clear that he thinks it's a bad deal. That certainly has not changed," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. Macron said on "Fox News Sunday" it would be better to protect the deal instead of getting rid of it. "Is this agreement perfect and this JCPOA a perfect thing for our relationship with Iran? No. But for nuclear, what do you have as a better option? I don't see it," he said. CHARM OFFENSIVE Macron's visit is the first time Trump has hosted a state visit since he took power in January 2017. While the French leader has tried to develop a close relationship with Trump since he took office last May, he has so far seen few tangible results on issues from Iran to climate politics. Macron and his wife, Brigitte, shortly after their arrival at the Blair House residence, took quickly to the streets of Washington, walking past the White House complex to the Lincoln Memorial and greeting tourists. Macron brought with him an oak tree sapling for planting on the South Lawn of the White House. The tree came from the Belleau Woods, site of a World War One battle in 1918 where 9,000 Americans died. Trump and Macron shovelled dirt on the freshly planted tree as the cameras clicked. "France is a very special country," said Trump. "It's a great honour." Trump and his wife, Melania, and the Macrons then flew aboard Trump's Marine One helicopter to dine at Mount Vernon, the Virginia home of George Washington, the first U.S. president and Revolutionary War commander whose alliance with France was critical to victory over the British. The Trumps and Macrons spent about two hours at Mount Vernon. "We had a great dinner," President Trump told reporters as they boarded the helicopter for the return trip to the White House. Working meetings will be held at the White House on Tuesday before Macron addresses the U.S. Congress the following day, the anniversary of the day French General Charles de Gaulle addressed a joint session of Congress in 1960. Trump and Macron began their friendship a year ago in Belgium with a jaw-clenching handshake. While some other European leaders have kept a distance from Trump, Macron has worked hard to remain close to the U.S. president. The two leaders speak frequently by phone. TRADE TALKS Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme was for peaceful purposes. Macron also wants to persuade Trump to exempt European nations from metal tariffs that are part of the U.S. president's plan to reduce chronic trade deficits with countries around the world, chiefly China. His visit comes at a time of mounting alarm in Europe over the effect that U.S. sanctions on Russia will have on their own manufacturing industries. French officials said Paris and other European governments were coordinating efforts to persuade Trump to ease sanctions on Russia, including measures against Russian aluminium producers. "There are concerns raised by the extraterritoriality effects of the new sets of sanctions," a French finance ministry source said. "Europeans ... have jointly warned the U.S. administration about the economic impact and consequences and the need to find solutions." The official said France, Germany, Italy and Ireland were working together on the matter. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Trump in Washington later in the week. Macron and Trump are also due to discuss Syria less than two weeks after the United States, France and Britain launched air strikes there in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens. Macron said last week he believed he had persuaded Trump to keep U.S. troops in Syria, though Trump has been insistent on bringing them home.

France's Macron visits Trump as Iran nuclear deal hangs in balance

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday warned US President Donald Trump to remain in the nuclear deal or else he could face "severe consequences."

The nuclear deal was formed by Tehran in 2015 for which the other signatories have stepped up efforts to save it. Rouhani also said that Iran is "prepared for all possible situations."

“I am telling those in the White House that if they do not live up to their commitments, the Iranian government will firmly react,” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

“If anyone betrays the deal, they should know that they would face severe consequences,” he told a cheering crowd of thousands gathered in the city of Tabriz. “Iran is prepared for all possible situations,” he added.

His comments come during a time when Trump has been hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington, who is working to convince him to stay in the pact. As per reports, &nbspGermany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel will also work to convince Trump at a meeting later this week.

On Monday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif</a> had said that "It is either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more important to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith."

Under Iran's settlement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Teheran agreed to curb its nuclear programme to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs.

In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were lifted in January 2016.

Trump has given the European signatories a May 12 deadline to "fix the terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal, or he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief on Iran.

The nuclear deal was formed by Tehran in 2015 for which the other signatories have stepped up efforts to save it. Rouhani also said that Iran is 'prepared for all possible situations'

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday warned US President Donald Trump to remain in the nuclear deal or else he could face "severe consequences." The nuclear deal was formed by Tehran in 2015 for which the other signatories have stepped up efforts to save it. Rouhani also said that Iran is "prepared for all possible situations." “I am telling those in the White House that if they do not live up to their commitments, the Iranian government will firmly react,” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television. “If anyone betrays the deal, they should know that they would face severe consequences,” he told a cheering crowd of thousands gathered in the city of Tabriz. “Iran is prepared for all possible situations,” he added. His comments come during a time when Trump has been hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington, who is working to convince him to stay in the pact. As per reports, &nbspGermany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel will also work to convince Trump at a meeting later this week. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had said that "It is either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more important to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith." Under Iran's settlement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Teheran agreed to curb its nuclear programme to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were lifted in January 2016. Trump has given the European signatories a May 12 deadline to "fix the terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal, or he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief on Iran.

Trump will face 'severe consequences' if nuclear deal not accepted: Iran President

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-reassures-pakistan-on-ties-ahead-of-xis-meeting-with-indias-modi-132264">Ties will 'never rust': China reassures Pakistan ahead of Xi's meeting with PM Modi</a>

Ahead of this week's meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China today reassured Pakistan that relations between both the nations would "never rust" and are as firm as ever. &nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-pakistan-having-security-economic-issues-in-cpec-project-132289">China, Pakistan having security, economic issues in CPEC project: Report</a>

The US $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project which is a part of Beijing's promising Belt Road Initiative (BRI) is now turning out to quiet a task in terms of security and in the economic front for China and Pakistan.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">It is either all or nothing, says Iran Foreign Minister over </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">nuclear</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298"> deal</a>

The European signatories of Iran's nuclear deal with major powers should convince US President Donald Trump not to exit the accord as there is no "plan B" for the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday (April 23).

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dhaka-siliguri-kathmandu-bus-service-goes-on-trial-132320">Dhaka-Siliguri-Kathmandu bus service goes on trial</a>

Government representatives of Bangladesh, India and Nepal launched the tri-nation trial bus service in Dhaka on Monday. Two buses from Dhaka set off for Kathmandu and would transit through Siliguri.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/good-news-sania-mirza-shoaib-malik-are-expecting-a-baby-132324">Good news! Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik are expecting a baby</a>

Tennis champion Sania Mirza and husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, announced on Monday that they are expecting a baby in a post shared by the couple on Twitter and Instagram.&nbsp

Read the five big stories of the day here

Ties will 'never rust': China reassures Pakistan ahead of Xi's meeting with PM Modi Ahead of this week's meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China today reassured Pakistan that relations between both the nations would "never rust" and are as firm as ever. China, Pakistan having security, economic issues in CPEC project: Report The US $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project which is a part of Beijing's promising Belt Road Initiative (BRI) is now turning out to quiet a task in terms of security and in the economic front for China and Pakistan. It is either all or nothing, says Iran Foreign Minister over nuclear deal The European signatories of Iran's nuclear deal with major powers should convince US President Donald Trump not to exit the accord as there is no "plan B" for the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday (April 23). Dhaka-Siliguri-Kathmandu bus service goes on trial Government representatives of Bangladesh, India and Nepal launched the tri-nation trial bus service in Dhaka on Monday. Two buses from Dhaka set off for Kathmandu and would transit through Siliguri. Good news! Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik are expecting a baby Tennis champion Sania Mirza and husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, announced on Monday that they are expecting a baby in a post shared by the couple on Twitter and Instagram.

News brief: Big stories of the day

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House on Monday to kick off a three-day state visit expected to be dominated by US-European differences on the Iran nuclear deal and trade.

It will be Trump's first hosting of a state visit since he took power in January 2017. The pair will get a sense of their two countries' shared history during an evening meal on Monday night at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, the first US&nbsp;president and Revolutionary War commander whose alliance with France was critical to victory over the British.

The major work between them will be done on Tuesday during White House meetings and a joint news conference.

On Wednesday, President Macron will address a Joint Session of Congress, making the anniversary of the day that French General Charles de Gaulle addressed the Joint Session of Congress, April 25, 1960.

Trump and Macron began their improbable friendship a year ago in Belgium with a jaw-clenching handshake. While other European leaders have kept a certain distance from Trump, Macron has worked hard to remain close to the U.S. president and the two leaders speak frequently by phone.

Macron is on something of a rescue mission for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Trump has vowed to scrap unless European allies strengthen it by mid-May.

The deal reached between Iran, the United States and five other world powers put curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Macron said on Fox News Sunday that it would be better to protect the Iran deal instead of get rid of it, saying there is no "Plan B" to take its place.

"Is this agreement perfect and this JCPOA a perfect thing for our relationship with Iran? &nbsp;No. But for nuclear -- what do you have? As a better option? I don't see it," he said.

Macron also wants to persuade Trump to exempt European nations from steel tariffs that are part of the US&nbsp;president's plan to reduce chronic trade deficits with countries around the world, chiefly China.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss Syria, less than two weeks after the United States, France and Britain launched airstrikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens in Douma, Syria.

Macron said last week that he believed he had persuaded Trump to keep US troops in Syria, but Trump has been insistent on bringing them home, although he has not publicly provided a definite timetable.

Whether substantive progress will be made on these and other issues was unclear.

"Whether we will actually solve, or come to closure, or a full detailed agreement on some of the issues that we've touched on is difficult to say at this remove," a senior administration official told reporters on Friday.

It will be Trump's first hosting of a state visit since he took power in January 2017

US President Donald Trump welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House on Monday to kick off a three-day state visit expected to be dominated by US-European differences on the Iran nuclear deal and trade. It will be Trump's first hosting of a state visit since he took power in January 2017. The pair will get a sense of their two countries' shared history during an evening meal on Monday night at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, the first US president and Revolutionary War commander whose alliance with France was critical to victory over the British. The major work between them will be done on Tuesday during White House meetings and a joint news conference. On Wednesday, President Macron will address a Joint Session of Congress, making the anniversary of the day that French General Charles de Gaulle addressed the Joint Session of Congress, April 25, 1960. Trump and Macron began their improbable friendship a year ago in Belgium with a jaw-clenching handshake. While other European leaders have kept a certain distance from Trump, Macron has worked hard to remain close to the U.S. president and the two leaders speak frequently by phone. Macron is on something of a rescue mission for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Trump has vowed to scrap unless European allies strengthen it by mid-May. The deal reached between Iran, the United States and five other world powers put curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Macron said on Fox News Sunday that it would be better to protect the Iran deal instead of get rid of it, saying there is no "Plan B" to take its place. "Is this agreement perfect and this JCPOA a perfect thing for our relationship with Iran? No. But for nuclear -- what do you have? As a better option? I don't see it," he said. Macron also wants to persuade Trump to exempt European nations from steel tariffs that are part of the US president's plan to reduce chronic trade deficits with countries around the world, chiefly China. The two leaders are also expected to discuss Syria, less than two weeks after the United States, France and Britain launched airstrikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens in Douma, Syria. Macron said last week that he believed he had persuaded Trump to keep US troops in Syria, but Trump has been insistent on bringing them home, although he has not publicly provided a definite timetable. Whether substantive progress will be made on these and other issues was unclear. "Whether we will actually solve, or come to closure, or a full detailed agreement on some of the issues that we've touched on is difficult to say at this remove," a senior administration official told reporters on Friday.

Trump, Macron to face differences on Iran, trade as French visit begins

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has no "plan B" for the Iran nuclear deal and that the United States should stay in the agreement as long as there is no better option.

In a Fox News interview on Sunday, the day before he arrives in Washington for a three-day state visit, Macron also said the United States, France and other allies will have a "very important" role to play in rebuilding Syria after they defeat Islamic State militants.

President Donald Trump has said he wants US&nbspforces to leave Syria as quickly as possible, but Macron warned that Iran, which has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most supportive ally, will overrun Syria if the countries exit too quickly.

Macron and Trump will discuss the Iran nuclear agreement at the White House on Tuesday, a senior US&nbspadministration official said on Friday. They will also discuss the joint military strike on Syria this month following a suspected chemical weapons attack near Damascus, the official said.

The 2015 deal reached between Iran, the United States and five other world powers put curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

"I don't have any plan B," Macron said. "Let's present this framework because it's better than the sort of North Korean-type situation."

Macron, who said he and Trump have "a very special relationship," said he wanted to complete the Iran deal by addressing ballistic missiles and working to contain Iran's influence in the region.

Trump has called it one of the worst deals ever negotiated and will decide by May 12 whether to restore US&nbspeconomic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the pact. Trump has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a CBS interview on Sunday the United States would be viewed as an unreliable partner to the international community if it pulls out of the deal. He added that there would be no reason for Iran to remain in the deal if the United States leaves and the benefits for Iran start to diminish.

"This would be a very bad precedent if the United States sends this message to the international community that the length or the duration of any agreement would depend on the duration of the presidency," Zarif said.

Macron also said the United States, France and other allies will have a 'very important' role to play in rebuilding Syria

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has no "plan B" for the Iran nuclear deal and that the United States should stay in the agreement as long as there is no better option. In a Fox News interview on Sunday, the day before he arrives in Washington for a three-day state visit, Macron also said the United States, France and other allies will have a "very important" role to play in rebuilding Syria after they defeat Islamic State militants. President Donald Trump has said he wants US&nbspforces to leave Syria as quickly as possible, but Macron warned that Iran, which has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most supportive ally, will overrun Syria if the countries exit too quickly. Macron and Trump will discuss the Iran nuclear agreement at the White House on Tuesday, a senior US&nbspadministration official said on Friday. They will also discuss the joint military strike on Syria this month following a suspected chemical weapons attack near Damascus, the official said. The 2015 deal reached between Iran, the United States and five other world powers put curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. "I don't have any plan B," Macron said. "Let's present this framework because it's better than the sort of North Korean-type situation." Macron, who said he and Trump have "a very special relationship," said he wanted to complete the Iran deal by addressing ballistic missiles and working to contain Iran's influence in the region. Trump has called it one of the worst deals ever negotiated and will decide by May 12 whether to restore US&nbspeconomic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the pact. Trump has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a CBS interview on Sunday the United States would be viewed as an unreliable partner to the international community if it pulls out of the deal. He added that there would be no reason for Iran to remain in the deal if the United States leaves and the benefits for Iran start to diminish. "This would be a very bad precedent if the United States sends this message to the international community that the length or the duration of any agreement would depend on the duration of the presidency," Zarif said.

France's president says he has no 'plan B' for Iran nuclear deal

Iran president Hassan Rouhani today warned the US against pulling out the nuclear deal asserting that the Trump administration would "regret" the decision.

"We will not be the first to violate the accord but they should definitely know that they will regret it if they violate it," Rouhani said.

President Trump has repeatedly said he favours pulling out the nuclear deal which is jointly signed in 2015 by the European Union and P5+1 countries namely China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and non-UNSC member Germany.

Under the agreement, Iran is supposed to dismantle its nuclear arsenal, however, President Trump has often accused the Rouhani government of reneging the deal, terming it as the "worst and one-sided transaction".

"We are much more prepared than they think, and they will see that if they violate this accord, within a week, less than a week, they will see the result," Rouhani said indicating a tit-for-tat response.

President Trump has often accused the Rouhani government of reneging the deal, terming it as the "worst and one-sided transaction.

Iran president Hassan Rouhani today warned the US against pulling out the nuclear deal asserting that the Trump administration would "regret" the decision. "We will not be the first to violate the accord but they should definitely know that they will regret it if they violate it," Rouhani said. President Trump has repeatedly said he favours pulling out the nuclear deal which is jointly signed in 2015 by the European Union and P5+1 countries namely China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and non-UNSC member Germany. Under the agreement, Iran is supposed to dismantle its nuclear arsenal, however, President Trump has often accused the Rouhani government of reneging the deal, terming it as the "worst and one-sided transaction". "We are much more prepared than they think, and they will see that if they violate this accord, within a week, less than a week, they will see the result," Rouhani said indicating a tit-for-tat response.

US will see result in less than a week if nuclear deal is violated: Iran

The&nbsp;United States and its negotiating partners granted secret exemptions to Iran that allowed the country to launch their nuclear program in January this year, according a report published yesterday. 
 
The report released by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security is based on information provided by several officials of governments involved in the negotiations, Reuters reported. 
 
&#39;One senior knowledgeable official stated that if the Joint Commission had not acted to create these exemptions, some of Iran&rsquo;s nuclear facilities would not have been in compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by Implementation Day,&#39; the report stated. 
 
The report said that the JCPOA had placed some limitations on Iran&#39;s nuclear program that needed to be met by January 16, 2016. 
 
Most of the conditions were met by Iran, the report said. But some of the &#39;nuclear stocks and facilities were not in accordance with JCPOA limits on Implementation Day&#39;, the authors of the report David Albright and Andrea Stricker found. 
 
A statement issued by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump&#39;s campaign pointed a finger towards Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Reuters reported. 
 
&quot;The deeply flawed nuclear deal Hillary Clinton secretly spearheaded with Iran looks worse and worse by the day,&quot; said retired Army General Michael Flynn, a top Trump adviser. &quot;It&rsquo;s now clear President Obama gave away the store to secure a weak agreement that is full of loopholes.&quot; 
 
White House criticised the report yesterday, defending its approval of Iran&#39;s nuclear program. 
 
&quot;Iran is in compliance with the agreement. That&#39;s not my opinion. That&#39;s not rhetoric. That is not a conjecture. That is a fact that is verified by independent international experts who, because of the agreement, now have the kind of access that is required to verify it,&quot; CNN reported spokesman Josh Earnest as saying. 
 
The report included a 3-point list on the exemptions that were in effect on Implementation Day. 
 
The exemptions included a loophole involving the amount of low enriched uranium the country was allowed to keep in storage. Iran. According to &#39;one knowledgeable senior official&#39;, Iran would have exceeded the 300-kilogram limitation if the exemptions had not been given. 
 
The commission also allowed Iran to operate 19 hot cells larger than specified dimensions which could be &#39;misused for secret, small-scale plutonium separation efforts&#39;. Plutonium is one&nbsp;of the most commonly used material for nuclear weapons. 
 
The authors asserted that the decision to keep the exemptions confidential was a &#39;potentially agreement-weakening decision&#39; by the Joint Commission. &#39;United States should agree to any exemptions or loopholes in the JCPOA only if the decisions are simultaneously made public,&#39; the authors said. 
 
The authors raised a question on whether Iran was using the leeway given to them to &#39;weaken as many JCPOA limitations as possible&#39;. The think-tank report called for the exemption process and the joint commission decision to be transparent. 
 
You can read the original report here: http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/jcpoa-exemptions-revealed 
 
(WION)

The report states that some of Iran's nuclear stocks and facilities were not in accordance with the joint commission's limits

The United States and its negotiating partners granted secret exemptions to Iran that allowed the country to launch their nuclear program in January this year, according a report published yesterday. The report released by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security is based on information provided by several officials of governments involved in the negotiations, Reuters reported. 'One senior knowledgeable official stated that if the Joint Commission had not acted to create these exemptions, some of Iran’s nuclear facilities would not have been in compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by Implementation Day,' the report stated. The report said that the JCPOA had placed some limitations on Iran's nuclear program that needed to be met by January 16, 2016. Most of the conditions were met by Iran, the report said. But some of the 'nuclear stocks and facilities were not in accordance with JCPOA limits on Implementation Day', the authors of the report David Albright and Andrea Stricker found. A statement issued by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign pointed a finger towards Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Reuters reported. "The deeply flawed nuclear deal Hillary Clinton secretly spearheaded with Iran looks worse and worse by the day," said retired Army General Michael Flynn, a top Trump adviser. "It’s now clear President Obama gave away the store to secure a weak agreement that is full of loopholes." White House criticised the report yesterday, defending its approval of Iran's nuclear program. "Iran is in compliance with the agreement. That's not my opinion. That's not rhetoric. That is not a conjecture. That is a fact that is verified by independent international experts who, because of the agreement, now have the kind of access that is required to verify it," CNN reported spokesman Josh Earnest as saying. The report included a 3-point list on the exemptions that were in effect on Implementation Day. The exemptions included a loophole involving the amount of low enriched uranium the country was allowed to keep in storage. Iran. According to 'one knowledgeable senior official', Iran would have exceeded the 300-kilogram limitation if the exemptions had not been given. The commission also allowed Iran to operate 19 hot cells larger than specified dimensions which could be 'misused for secret, small-scale plutonium separation efforts'. Plutonium is one of the most commonly used material for nuclear weapons. The authors asserted that the decision to keep the exemptions confidential was a 'potentially agreement-weakening decision' by the Joint Commission. 'United States should agree to any exemptions or loopholes in the JCPOA only if the decisions are simultaneously made public,' the authors said. The authors raised a question on whether Iran was using the leeway given to them to 'weaken as many JCPOA limitations as possible'. The think-tank report called for the exemption process and the joint commission decision to be transparent. You can read the original report here: http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/jcpoa-exemptions-revealed (WION)

Secret exemptions granted to Iran for nuclear deal

Iran will withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal if there is no economic benefit from it and major banks continue to fail to do business with the Islamic Republic, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday.

The July 2015 agreement between Iran and six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - obliged Iran to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from sanctions that have crippled its economy.

US President Donald Trump delivered an ultimatum to European powers on January 12, saying they must agree to &ldquo;fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal&rdquo; or he would refuse to extend the US sanctions relief on Iran that it calls for.

US sanctions will resume unless Trump issues fresh &ldquo;waivers&rdquo; to suspend them on May 12.

&quot;The deal would not survive this way even if the ultimatum is passed and waivers are extended,&quot; Araqchi said in a speech at Chatham House in London.

&quot;If the same policy of confusion and uncertainties about the JCPOA continues, if companies and banks are not working with Iran, we cannot remain in a deal that has no benefit for us,&quot; Araqchi said. &quot;That&rsquo;s a fact.&quot;

Trump sees three defects in the deal: its failure to address Iran&rsquo;s ballistic missile program; the terms under which international inspectors can visit suspect Iranian nuclear sites; and &ldquo;sunset&rdquo; clauses under which limits on the Iranian nuclear program start to expire after 10 years.

He wants all three strengthened if the United States is to stay in the nuclear deal, which is known by diplomats as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

Iran warned that the collapse of the deal would thrust the world into another nuclear crisis.

&quot;If we lose the JCPOA, we will face another nuclear crisis,&rdquo; Araqchi said.

&ldquo;For the Europeans or the world community, when we talk about maintaining the JCPOA and saving it, it&rsquo;s not a choice between Iranian or the US market, it&rsquo;s not a choice for economic cooperation: it&rsquo;s a choice between having security and insecurity,&quot; Araqchi said.

The July 2015 agreement between Iran and six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - obliged Iran to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from sanctions that have crippled its economy

Iran will withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal if there is no economic benefit from it and major banks continue to fail to do business with the Islamic Republic, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday. The July 2015 agreement between Iran and six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - obliged Iran to restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from sanctions that have crippled its economy. US President Donald Trump delivered an ultimatum to European powers on January 12, saying they must agree to “fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal” or he would refuse to extend the US sanctions relief on Iran that it calls for. US sanctions will resume unless Trump issues fresh “waivers” to suspend them on May 12. "The deal would not survive this way even if the ultimatum is passed and waivers are extended," Araqchi said in a speech at Chatham House in London. "If the same policy of confusion and uncertainties about the JCPOA continues, if companies and banks are not working with Iran, we cannot remain in a deal that has no benefit for us," Araqchi said. "That’s a fact." Trump sees three defects in the deal: its failure to address Iran’s ballistic missile program; the terms under which international inspectors can visit suspect Iranian nuclear sites; and “sunset” clauses under which limits on the Iranian nuclear program start to expire after 10 years. He wants all three strengthened if the United States is to stay in the nuclear deal, which is known by diplomats as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Iran warned that the collapse of the deal would thrust the world into another nuclear crisis. "If we lose the JCPOA, we will face another nuclear crisis,” Araqchi said. “For the Europeans or the world community, when we talk about maintaining the JCPOA and saving it, it’s not a choice between Iranian or the US market, it’s not a choice for economic cooperation: it’s a choice between having security and insecurity," Araqchi said.

Iran will withdraw from nuclear deal if there is no economic benefit: Deputy minister

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow will not support attempts by Washington to modify the Iran nuclear deal, arguing such a move could also complicate diplomacy over North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons programme.

Lavrov spoke days after US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said he would waive nuclear sanctions against Iran for the last time to give Washington and its European allies a chance to fix the &quot;terrible flaws&quot; of the 2015 nuclear deal.

&quot;We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran,&quot; Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow.

Russia&#39;s top diplomat, who stressed that Russia will work to preserve the existing Iran nuclear deal, also warned that the agreement&#39;s collapse could be detrimental to dialogue with North Korea.

Lavrov suggested Pyongyang would look at how Iran had been treated by Washington and wonder if any deal it did with the United States on its own missile and nuclear programme would hold or also be called into question.

&quot;If the deal is put aside and Iran is told, &#39;you keep up with your obligations or we will impose sanctions again&#39;, then you have to see it from North Korea&#39;s point of view,&quot; saidLavrov, stressing the international community should approach the two countries&#39; nuclear programmes in the same manner.

&quot;They are being promised that sanctions will be lifted if they give up their nuclear programme. They will give it up, but no one will lift the sanctions against Pyongyang.&quot;

In separate comments on Monday, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran&#39;s National Security Council, said Trump&#39;s threats to withdraw from the nuclear deal were fanning &quot;Iranophobia&quot; and meant to deprive Tehran of the agreement&#39;s economic benefits.

&quot;Scaring the international community with the decisions of a mad man is a repetitive tactic that has proved to be ineffective,&quot; Fars news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

"We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran," Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow will not support attempts by Washington to modify the Iran nuclear deal, arguing such a move could also complicate diplomacy over North Korea's nuclear weapons programme. Lavrov spoke days after US President Donald Trump said he would waive nuclear sanctions against Iran for the last time to give Washington and its European allies a chance to fix the "terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal. "We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran," Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow. Russia's top diplomat, who stressed that Russia will work to preserve the existing Iran nuclear deal, also warned that the agreement's collapse could be detrimental to dialogue with North Korea. Lavrov suggested Pyongyang would look at how Iran had been treated by Washington and wonder if any deal it did with the United States on its own missile and nuclear programme would hold or also be called into question. "If the deal is put aside and Iran is told, 'you keep up with your obligations or we will impose sanctions again', then you have to see it from North Korea's point of view," saidLavrov, stressing the international community should approach the two countries' nuclear programmes in the same manner. "They are being promised that sanctions will be lifted if they give up their nuclear programme. They will give it up, but no one will lift the sanctions against Pyongyang." In separate comments on Monday, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council, said Trump's threats to withdraw from the nuclear deal were fanning "Iranophobia" and meant to deprive Tehran of the agreement's economic benefits. "Scaring the international community with the decisions of a mad man is a repetitive tactic that has proved to be ineffective," Fars news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

Russia will not support US bid to change Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-issues-stay-of-execution-for-iran-nuclear-deal-29380">Trump administration would not issue any more nuclear sanctions on Iran</a>.

However, he did call for stringent measures to keep the agreement alive. He also waived off nuclear-related sanctions on Iran -- a requirement to keep the deal alive.&nbsp;

Iran, however, rejected any modification to its nuclear deal.&nbsp;

Iran &quot;will not accept any amendments in this agreement, be it now or in the future, and it will not allow any other issues to be linked to the JCPOA,&quot; the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Trump asked the European partners to work with the United States in order to &quot;fix the deal&#39;s disastrous flaws,&quot; in the absence of which the United States will withdraw from the deal, Trump threatened.

Trump demanded restrictions on Iran&#39;s missile programme and called for permanent control on Iran&#39;s nuclear plants.

Iran, on the other hand, clarified that the deal remains renegotiated.

&quot;JCPOA is not renegotiable: rather than repeating tired rhetoric, US must bring itself into full compliance -- just like Iran,&quot; Iran&#39;s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted immediately after Trump&#39;s speech.&nbsp;

Iran&#39;s foreign ministry condemned fresh sanctions imposed by the US on 14 individuals,&nbsp; including judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, over human rights issues.&nbsp;

The ministry also criticised US sanctions on Iran&#39;s missile programme and described restrictions on Larijani to have &quot;crossed all red lines of conduct in the international community.&quot;

The official statement from Iran&#39;s foreign ministry stated that &quot;the government of the United States will bear responsibility for all the consequences of this hostile move&quot;.

Iran argued that the continued US sanctions on non-nuclear areas such as human rights and missile testing have effectively barred Iran from gaining many of the financial benefits expected from the deal.

Zarif condemned Trump&#39;s aggressive stance on the deal and Iran describing the White House to also have violated the commitment to &quot;refrain from any policy specifically intended to directly and adversely affect the normalisation of trade and economic relations with Iran&quot; in the accord.

JCPOA is the nuclear deal&#39;s technical name.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Iran 'will not accept any amendments to this agreement, be it now or in the future,' Iran's foreign ministry noted.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced that the Trump administration would not issue any more nuclear sanctions on Iran. However, he did call for stringent measures to keep the agreement alive. He also waived off nuclear-related sanctions on Iran -- a requirement to keep the deal alive. Iran, however, rejected any modification to its nuclear deal. Iran "will not accept any amendments in this agreement, be it now or in the future, and it will not allow any other issues to be linked to the JCPOA," the foreign ministry said in a statement. Trump asked the European partners to work with the United States in order to "fix the deal's disastrous flaws," in the absence of which the United States will withdraw from the deal, Trump threatened. Trump demanded restrictions on Iran's missile programme and called for permanent control on Iran's nuclear plants. Iran, on the other hand, clarified that the deal remains renegotiated. "JCPOA is not renegotiable: rather than repeating tired rhetoric, US must bring itself into full compliance -- just like Iran," Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted immediately after Trump's speech. Iran's foreign ministry condemned fresh sanctions imposed by the US on 14 individuals, including judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, over human rights issues. The ministry also criticised US sanctions on Iran's missile programme and described restrictions on Larijani to have "crossed all red lines of conduct in the international community." The official statement from Iran's foreign ministry stated that "the government of the United States will bear responsibility for all the consequences of this hostile move". Iran argued that the continued US sanctions on non-nuclear areas such as human rights and missile testing have effectively barred Iran from gaining many of the financial benefits expected from the deal. Zarif condemned Trump's aggressive stance on the deal and Iran describing the White House to also have violated the commitment to "refrain from any policy specifically intended to directly and adversely affect the normalisation of trade and economic relations with Iran" in the accord. JCPOA is the nuclear deal's technical name. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran nuclear deal: While Trump calls for stringent measures, Iran rejects any change to deal

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/as-iran-nuclear-deal-hangs-in-balance-president-macron-calls-trump-29279" target="_blank">As Iran nuclear deal hangs in balance, President Macron calls Trump</a>

As President Trump mulls over Iran nuclear deal, French President &nbsp;Macron said there should be &quot;strict application&quot; and &quot;importance of all signatories to respect it&quot;. Trump is expected to decide today on providing relief to Iran under the 215 nuclear deal which was signed by former President Obama along with other nations.&nbsp;

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The Westminster magistrates&#39; court in London on Thursday decided to extend liquor baron Vijay Mallya&#39;s bail till April 2 in association with his extradition case. The bail raised concerns over the reliability of evidence provided by India. Judge Emma Arbuthnot has extended Mallya&#39;s &pound;650,000 bail.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/why-do-we-want-people-from-these-shithole-countries-trump-over-immigrants-from-africa-haiti-29278" target="_blank">Lawmakers angry over Trump&#39;s expletive on immigrants</a>

President Donald Trump on Thursday questioned why the United States would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as &quot;shithole countries&quot;. &quot;Why do we want all these people from Africa here? They&#39;re shithole countries ... We should have more people from Norway&quot; he said. He further slammed the need for Haitians in the United States.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-all-set-to-launch-100th-satellite-today-29283" target="_blank">Countdown begins as ISRO gets set to launch 100th satellite today</a>

India is all set to launch its 100th satellite &#39;Cartosat-2 Series&#39; from Andhra Pradesh&#39;s Sriharikota today. The launch is set for 9:28am on Friday at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-may-cancel-uk-visit-amid-fears-of-mass-protests-report-29282" target="_blank">Trump may cancel UK visit amid fears of mass protests: Report</a>

President Trump may pull out of the visit to Britain next month amid concerns over mass protests when he arrives in London, British media reported. Last month, PM Theresa May&#39;s cabinet minister Sam Gyimah had said he would feel &nbsp;&ldquo;deeply uncomfortable&rdquo; if President Trump&#39;s visit went ahead after May clashed with Trump over US president&#39;s retweets of far-right anti-Muslim propaganda, Britain First.

As Iran nuclear deal hangs in balance, President Macron calls Trump As President Trump mulls over Iran nuclear deal, French President Macron said there should be "strict application" and "importance of all signatories to respect it". Trump is expected to decide today on providing relief to Iran under the 215 nuclear deal which was signed by former President Obama along with other nations. Vijay Mallya's bail extended till April 2, concerns raised over reliability of evidence The Westminster magistrates' court in London on Thursday decided to extend liquor baron Vijay Mallya's bail till April 2 in association with his extradition case. The bail raised concerns over the reliability of evidence provided by India. Judge Emma Arbuthnot has extended Mallya's £650,000 bail. Lawmakers angry over Trump's expletive on immigrants President Donald Trump on Thursday questioned why the United States would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as "shithole countries". "Why do we want all these people from Africa here? They're shithole countries ... We should have more people from Norway" he said. He further slammed the need for Haitians in the United States. Countdown begins as ISRO gets set to launch 100th satellite today India is all set to launch its 100th satellite 'Cartosat-2 Series' from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota today. The launch is set for 9:28am on Friday at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Trump may cancel UK visit amid fears of mass protests: Report President Trump may pull out of the visit to Britain next month amid concerns over mass protests when he arrives in London, British media reported. Last month, PM Theresa May's cabinet minister Sam Gyimah had said he would feel “deeply uncomfortable” if President Trump's visit went ahead after May clashed with Trump over US president's retweets of far-right anti-Muslim propaganda, Britain First.

WION Morning News Brief, January 12, 2017

As President Trump mulls over<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/macron-warns-against-mid-east-meddling-at-lebanon-conference-26265"> Iran nuclear deal, French President </a>&nbsp;Macron said there should be &quot;strict application&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;importance of all signatories to respect it&quot;.

Trump is expected to decide today on providing relief to Iran under the 215 nuclear deal which was signed by former President Obama along with other nations.

Macron called Trump on Thursday to pitch for the deal stressing its importance even as Trump who has made a number of statements against Iran in recent months kept everyone guessing about his administration&#39;s next move.

&quot;The proper implementation of the agreement should be accompanied by a strengthened dialogue with Iran on its ballistic program and its regional policy, in order to guarantee better stability in the Middle East,&quot; the French president said during his phone call to Trump.

There are fears the US may scrap the nuclear deal which has been signed by the United States, UK, Russia, France, and China including Germany and the European Union.

Macron during his phone call to Trump stressed that the nuclear deal must be accompanied by another round of dialogue with Iran on its ballistic missile programme.

Trump and Macron are set to at the World Economic Forum in Davos later this month.

Macron called Trump on Thursday to pitch for the nuclear deal stressing its importance even as Trump mulled his next move

As President Trump mulls over Iran nuclear deal, French President Macron said there should be "strict application" and "importance of all signatories to respect it". Trump is expected to decide today on providing relief to Iran under the 215 nuclear deal which was signed by former President Obama along with other nations. Macron called Trump on Thursday to pitch for the deal stressing its importance even as Trump who has made a number of statements against Iran in recent months kept everyone guessing about his administration's next move. "The proper implementation of the agreement should be accompanied by a strengthened dialogue with Iran on its ballistic program and its regional policy, in order to guarantee better stability in the Middle East," the French president said during his phone call to Trump. There are fears the US may scrap the nuclear deal which has been signed by the United States, UK, Russia, France, and China including Germany and the European Union. Macron during his phone call to Trump stressed that the nuclear deal must be accompanied by another round of dialogue with Iran on its ballistic missile programme. Trump and Macron are set to at the World Economic Forum in Davos later this month.

As Iran nuclear deal hangs in balance, President Macron calls Trump

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Friday said they remain committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran after US President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/i-will-not-certify-iran-nuclear-deal-trump-22435">Donald Trump refused to certify the agreement</a>. &nbsp;

British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said they &quot;stand committed to its full implementation by all sides,&quot; according to a joint statement released by May&#39;s Downing Street office.

The leaders said they &quot;take note of President Trump&#39;s decision&quot; not to recertify Iran&#39;s compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) to the US Congress and were &quot;concerned by the possible implications.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;The nuclear deal was the culmination of 13 years of diplomacy and was a major step towards ensuring that Iran&rsquo;s nuclear programme is not diverted for military purposes,&quot; they added.&nbsp;

&quot;We encourage the US Administration and Congress to consider the implications to the security of the US and its allies before taking any steps that might undermine the JCPoA, such as re-imposing sanctions on Iran lifted under the agreement.&quot;

&quot;Our governments are committed to ensuring the JCPoA is maintained,&quot; they stressed.

The three leaders said they were concerned about Iran&#39;s ballistic missile programme and that they &quot;stand ready to take further appropriate measures to address these 
issues.&quot;&nbsp;

Trump launched a tougher strategy to check Iran&#39;s &quot;fanatical regime&quot; on Friday and warned that the landmark international nuclear deal could be terminated at any time.

In a much-anticipated White House speech, Trump stopped short of withdrawing from the 2015 accord, but &quot;decertified&quot; his support for the agreement and left its fate 
in the hands of Congress. 
&nbsp;

British PM Theresa May, French President Macron and German Chancellor Merkel said they 'stand committed to its full implementation by all sides' according to a joint statement

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Friday said they remain committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran after US President Donald Trump refused to certify the agreement. British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said they "stand committed to its full implementation by all sides," according to a joint statement released by May's Downing Street office. The leaders said they "take note of President Trump's decision" not to recertify Iran's compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) to the US Congress and were "concerned by the possible implications." "The nuclear deal was the culmination of 13 years of diplomacy and was a major step towards ensuring that Iran’s nuclear programme is not diverted for military purposes," they added. "We encourage the US Administration and Congress to consider the implications to the security of the US and its allies before taking any steps that might undermine the JCPoA, such as re-imposing sanctions on Iran lifted under the agreement." "Our governments are committed to ensuring the JCPoA is maintained," they stressed. The three leaders said they were concerned about Iran's ballistic missile programme and that they "stand ready to take further appropriate measures to address these issues." Trump launched a tougher strategy to check Iran's "fanatical regime" on Friday and warned that the landmark international nuclear deal could be terminated at any time. In a much-anticipated White House speech, Trump stopped short of withdrawing from the 2015 accord, but "decertified" his support for the agreement and left its fate in the hands of Congress.

After Trump backout, UK, Germany, France 'stand committed' to Iran deal

In a major policy shift, US&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-to-decertify-iran-nuclear-deal-tillerson-22430">President Donald Trump refused to certify the 2015 </a>Iran&nbsp;nuclear deal, and warned the United States may yet walk away from &quot;one of the worst&quot; agreements in history.

In an address at the White House, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/germany-seeks-to-maintain-unity-if-us-decertifies-iran-nuclear-deal-22405">Trump said that his goal is to ensure</a> Iran&nbsp;never obtains a nuclear weapon.

&quot;I am announcing that we cannot and will not make this certification,&quot; Trump said.

Trump also announced tough new sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while stopping short of declaring the army group a terrorist organization.

&quot;We will not continue down a path whose predictable conclusion is more violence and terror and the very real threat of Iran&#39;s nuclear breakout,&quot; he said.

Trump&nbsp;warned that if &quot;we are not able to reach a solution working with Congress and our allies, then the agreement will be terminated.&quot;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quick to rebuke Trump and&nbsp;declared the United States was &quot;more than ever against the Iranian people.&quot;

Iran also said&nbsp;it would retaliate against any action targeting towards its armed forces.

&quot;Iran will strongly respond to any action against its military forces, including the Revolutionary Guards Corps,&quot; Reuters quoted foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi statement on state TV.

Qasemi also warned about the possibility of pulling out of the deal.

&quot;Iran always acts based on its interests and will continue to do so. If necessary, we can also withdraw from the deal,&quot; Qasemi said.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In an address at the White House, Trump said that his goal is to ensure Iran's never obtains a nuclear weapon.

In a major policy shift, US President Donald Trump refused to certify the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and warned the United States may yet walk away from "one of the worst" agreements in history. In an address at the White House, Trump said that his goal is to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. "I am announcing that we cannot and will not make this certification," Trump said. Trump also announced tough new sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while stopping short of declaring the army group a terrorist organization. "We will not continue down a path whose predictable conclusion is more violence and terror and the very real threat of Iran's nuclear breakout," he said. Trump warned that if "we are not able to reach a solution working with Congress and our allies, then the agreement will be terminated." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quick to rebuke Trump and declared the United States was "more than ever against the Iranian people." Iran also said it would retaliate against any action targeting towards its armed forces. "Iran will strongly respond to any action against its military forces, including the Revolutionary Guards Corps," Reuters quoted foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi statement on state TV. Qasemi also warned about the possibility of pulling out of the deal. "Iran always acts based on its interests and will continue to do so. If necessary, we can also withdraw from the deal," Qasemi said.

I will not certify Iran nuclear deal: Trump

The German government on Friday vowed to work for continued global&nbsp;unity if&nbsp; US&nbsp;President Donald Trump announces that he will not certify&nbsp;Iran&#39;s compliance with a 2015 nuclear&nbsp;accord negotiated by world powers, as expected.

&quot;We have a great interest in the continuation of this international&nbsp;unity. If&nbsp;an important country like the United States comes to a different conclusion as appears to be the case, we will work even harder with other partners to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;this cohesion,&quot; government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters.

Trump is to deliver a speech at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT) to announce a confrontational new approach to US&nbsp;policy toward&nbsp;Iran. In a big shift, he is expected to say he will not certify&nbsp;Iran&#39;s compliance with the&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;deal.

Steffen Seibert: We have a great interest in the continuation of this international?unity. If?an important country like the United States comes to a different conclusion as appears to be the case, we will work even harder with other partners to?maintain?this cohesion

The German government on Friday vowed to work for continued global unity if US President Donald Trump announces that he will not certify Iran's compliance with a 2015 nuclear accord negotiated by world powers, as expected. "We have a great interest in the continuation of this international unity. If an important country like the United States comes to a different conclusion as appears to be the case, we will work even harder with other partners to maintain this cohesion," government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters. Trump is to deliver a speech at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT) to announce a confrontational new approach to US policy toward Iran. In a big shift, he is expected to say he will not certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal.

Germany vows to work with partners on Iran nuclear deal

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said today President Trump won&#39;t ask Congress to &quot;snap back&quot; sanctions against Iran but will stop short of killing the agreement.

&quot;The intent is that we will stay in the JCPOA, but the president is going to decertify,&quot; said Rex Tillerson, referring to the 2015 multilateral agreement.

Tillerson said President Trump will announce additional sanctions on Iran&#39;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard but will not declare&nbsp;it a terrorist organization.

&quot;A re-imposition of the sanctions,&quot; said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, &quot;would, in effect, say we&#39;re walking away from the deal,&quot; he added.

Trump is set to make the announcement in a speech at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT).

&quot;What we are laying out here is this is the pathway we think provides us the best platform from which to attempt to fix this deal,&quot; he said.

&quot;We may be unsuccessful. We may not be able to fix it. And if we&rsquo;re not then we may end up out of the deal,&quot; the secretary of state added.

Meanwhile, Iran said today it would retaliate against any action targeting towards its armed forces.

&quot;Iran will strongly respond to any action against its military forces, including the Revolutionary Guards Corps,&quot; Reuters quoted foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi statement on state TV.

Qasemi also warned about the possibility of pulling out of the deal.

&quot;Iran always acts based on its interests and will continue to do so. If necessary, we can also withdraw from the deal,&quot; Qasemi said.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Trump is set to make the announcement in a speech today

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said today President Trump won't ask Congress to "snap back" sanctions against Iran but will stop short of killing the agreement. "The intent is that we will stay in the JCPOA, but the president is going to decertify," said Rex Tillerson, referring to the 2015 multilateral agreement. Tillerson said President Trump will announce additional sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard but will not declare it a terrorist organization. "A re-imposition of the sanctions," said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, "would, in effect, say we're walking away from the deal," he added. Trump is set to make the announcement in a speech at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT). "What we are laying out here is this is the pathway we think provides us the best platform from which to attempt to fix this deal," he said. "We may be unsuccessful. We may not be able to fix it. And if we’re not then we may end up out of the deal," the secretary of state added. Meanwhile, Iran said today it would retaliate against any action targeting towards its armed forces. "Iran will strongly respond to any action against its military forces, including the Revolutionary Guards Corps," Reuters quoted foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi statement on state TV. Qasemi also warned about the possibility of pulling out of the deal. "Iran always acts based on its interests and will continue to do so. If necessary, we can also withdraw from the deal," Qasemi said.

President Trump to decertify Iran nuclear deal: Tillerson

All the parties to the Iran nuclear deal are abiding by its terms, the European Union said on Thursday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-nuclear-deal-violated-by-new-us-sanctions-18531">despite Tehran&#39;s charges that new US sanctions breach the agreement</a>.

Tehran says the new measures violate its 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, an agreement which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to tear up.

&quot;So far we consider that all parties have been implementing their commitments under the deal,&quot; Catherine Ray, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, told a press briefing in Brussels.

&quot;We expect their continued adherence,&quot; Ray said when asked to comment on the Iranian charges.

Ray based her expectation on a July 21 meeting in Vienna of the Mogherini-chaired commission that brings together Iran and the other parties to discuss the deal&#39;s implementation.

Mogherini&#39;s office issued a statement at the time saying the meeting&#39;s participants confirmed their continued adherence and &quot;stressed the need to ensure its full and effective implementation in a constructive atmosphere.&quot;

Ray said the joint commission allowed for the Iranian view on new US sanctions to be widely discussed.

The United States enacted Wednesday new sanctions targeting Iran&#39;s ballistic missile programme, alleging human rights abuses and its support for the Lebanese Hezbollah, which Washington calls a terrorist group.

Following the nuclear deal, Washington and the EU lifted sanctions related to Iran&#39;s atomic programme that the West alleged was for military purposes but Tehran said was peaceful.&nbsp;

Mogherini is due in Tehran on Saturday for the inauguration of Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected to a second term as president in May.

EU countries Britain, France and Germany, which signed the deal along with Russia, China and the United States, remain firm backers of the agreement and have criticised the Trump administration for threatening to scrap it.&nbsp;

EU comments came despite Tehran's charges that new US sanctions breach the agreement

All the parties to the Iran nuclear deal are abiding by its terms, the European Union said on Thursday, despite Tehran's charges that new US sanctions breach the agreement. Tehran says the new measures violate its 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, an agreement which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to tear up. "So far we consider that all parties have been implementing their commitments under the deal," Catherine Ray, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, told a press briefing in Brussels. "We expect their continued adherence," Ray said when asked to comment on the Iranian charges. Ray based her expectation on a July 21 meeting in Vienna of the Mogherini-chaired commission that brings together Iran and the other parties to discuss the deal's implementation. Mogherini's office issued a statement at the time saying the meeting's participants confirmed their continued adherence and "stressed the need to ensure its full and effective implementation in a constructive atmosphere." Ray said the joint commission allowed for the Iranian view on new US sanctions to be widely discussed. The United States enacted Wednesday new sanctions targeting Iran's ballistic missile programme, alleging human rights abuses and its support for the Lebanese Hezbollah, which Washington calls a terrorist group. Following the nuclear deal, Washington and the EU lifted sanctions related to Iran's atomic programme that the West alleged was for military purposes but Tehran said was peaceful. Mogherini is due in Tehran on Saturday for the inauguration of Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected to a second term as president in May. EU countries Britain, France and Germany, which signed the deal along with Russia, China and the United States, remain firm backers of the agreement and have criticised the Trump administration for threatening to scrap it.

Despite Iran reservations, EU says all parties sticking to Iran nuclear deal

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson acknowledged on Tuesday that he and President Donald Trump disagree over the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and said the two men discuss how to use the international agreement to advance administration policies.

Trump at times vowed during the 2016 presidential election campaign to withdraw from the agreement, which was signed by the United States, Russia, China and three European powers to curb Iran&#39;s nuclear program in return for lifting most Western sanctions.

Trump has preserved the deal for now, although he has made clear he did so reluctantly after being advised to do so by Tillerson.

&quot;He and I have differences of views on things like JCPOA, and how we should use it,&quot; Tillerson said at a State Department briefing, using the acronym for the deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Tillerson said that Washington could &quot;tear it up and walk away&quot; or stay in the deal and hold Iran accountable to its terms, which he said would require Iran to act as a &quot;good neighbor.&quot;

Critics say the deal falls short in addressing Iran&#39;s support for foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, arms shipments around the Middle East and ballistic missile tests.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tillerson&#39;s remarks.

Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal last month that he predicts Iran will be judged &quot;noncompliant&quot; with the Iran deal at the next deadline in October, and that he would have preferred to do so months ago.

Tillerson expressed a more nuanced view of the deal&#39;s potential benefits on Tuesday.

&quot;There are a lot of alternative means with which we use the agreement to advance our policies and the relationship with Iran, and that&#39;s what the conversation generally is around with the president as well,&quot; Tillerson said.

European officials would likely be reluctant to reimpose sanctions, especially the broader measures that helped drive Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program in the first place.

New US&nbsp;sanctions on Iran in July were a breach of the nuclear deal and Tehran had lodged a complaint with the body that oversees the pact&#39;s implementation, a senior Iranian politician said.

Tillerson acknowledged that the United States is limited in how much it can pressure Iran on its own and said it was important to coordinate with the other parties to the agreement.

&quot;The greatest pressure we can put to bear on Iran to change the behavior is a collective pressure,&quot; he said.

'He and I have differences of views on things like JCPOA, and how we should use it,' Tillerson said at a State Department briefing, using the acronym for the deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson acknowledged on Tuesday that he and President Donald Trump disagree over the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and said the two men discuss how to use the international agreement to advance administration policies. Trump at times vowed during the 2016 presidential election campaign to withdraw from the agreement, which was signed by the United States, Russia, China and three European powers to curb Iran's nuclear program in return for lifting most Western sanctions. Trump has preserved the deal for now, although he has made clear he did so reluctantly after being advised to do so by Tillerson. "He and I have differences of views on things like JCPOA, and how we should use it," Tillerson said at a State Department briefing, using the acronym for the deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Tillerson said that Washington could "tear it up and walk away" or stay in the deal and hold Iran accountable to its terms, which he said would require Iran to act as a "good neighbor." Critics say the deal falls short in addressing Iran's support for foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, arms shipments around the Middle East and ballistic missile tests. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tillerson's remarks. Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal last month that he predicts Iran will be judged "noncompliant" with the Iran deal at the next deadline in October, and that he would have preferred to do so months ago. Tillerson expressed a more nuanced view of the deal's potential benefits on Tuesday. "There are a lot of alternative means with which we use the agreement to advance our policies and the relationship with Iran, and that's what the conversation generally is around with the president as well," Tillerson said. European officials would likely be reluctant to reimpose sanctions, especially the broader measures that helped drive Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program in the first place. New US sanctions on Iran in July were a breach of the nuclear deal and Tehran had lodged a complaint with the body that oversees the pact's implementation, a senior Iranian politician said. Tillerson acknowledged that the United States is limited in how much it can pressure Iran on its own and said it was important to coordinate with the other parties to the agreement. "The greatest pressure we can put to bear on Iran to change the behavior is a collective pressure," he said.

Trump and I disagree on Iran nuclear deal: Tillerson

Iran&nbsp;criticised new US sanctions on its missile programme on Thursday, saying they&nbsp;would undermine a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.&nbsp;

&quot;Iran&nbsp;condemns the US administration&#39;s ill will in its effort to reduce the positive results of the country&#39;s implementation of JCPOA (nuclear deal) commitments by adding individuals to the list of unilateral and illegal extraterritorial sanctions,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on his Telegram channel.&nbsp;

The administration of US President Donald Trump chose to stick by the nuclear deal with&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;on Wednesday, renewing a waiver of nuclear-related sanctions despite his past criticism of the agreement.

But it imposed new measures to punish Iranian defence officials and a Chinese business tied to Tehran&#39;s ballistic missile programme, which it says is in breach of international law because they could carry nuclear warheads in the future.

The decision came just before a Friday presidential election&nbsp;in&nbsp;Iran, in which moderate President Hassan Rouhani is fighting for a second term against hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who has called for a much tougher stance against the West.&nbsp;

Iran&nbsp;denies ever seeking nuclear weapons and Ghasemi said its missile programme is part of its &quot;absolute and legal right to build up the country&#39;s defensive capabilities&quot;.

&quot;The Islamic Republic of&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;will continue its missile programme with power and authority based on its plans,&quot; he said.

Ghasemi said&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;would retaliate by adding nine US individuals and companies to its own sanctions list, accusing them of &quot;clear violations of human rights&quot; in relation to their support for Israel or &quot;terrorist groups&quot; in the Middle East.&nbsp;

Under review&nbsp;

Trump threatened to tear up the nuclear deal during his campaign and has launched a review of its terms, but until then he is required to decide on renewing sanctions relief at regular intervals.

His first deadline fell this week, related to sanctions on oil purchases through the Iranian central bank -- part of a 2012 law called the National Defence Authorisation Act -- that must be waived every 120 days.

The Trump administration will have to waive more sanctions next month if it wants to stick by the nuclear deal.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in April that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;was complying with its side of the bargain, but has described the country as the world&#39;s leading state sponsor of terrorism.&nbsp;

Washington has maintained a raft of other sanctions related to human rights and the missile programme that continue to stifle&nbsp;Iran&#39;s efforts to rebuild its foreign trade.

This has been a major issue in the Iranian election, with hardliner Raisi accusing Rouhani of making too many concessions without gaining any economic benefits.&nbsp;

Although oil sales have rebounded since the deal came into effect in January 2016,&nbsp;Iran&#39;s continued exclusion from the international banking system has prevented it from signing much needed trade and investment deals with Europe and Asia.&nbsp;

Rouhani, who is still seen as the frontrunner in unofficial polls, has vowed to work towards the removal of remaining sanctions and called for more time to allow the benefits of the deal to reach ordinary Iranians.&nbsp;

(AFP)

But the Donald Trump administration committed itself to the nuclear deal with?Iran?by waiving nuclear-related sanctions

Iran criticised new US sanctions on its missile programme on Thursday, saying they would undermine a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. "Iran condemns the US administration's ill will in its effort to reduce the positive results of the country's implementation of JCPOA (nuclear deal) commitments by adding individuals to the list of unilateral and illegal extraterritorial sanctions," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on his Telegram channel. The administration of US President Donald Trump chose to stick by the nuclear deal with Iran on Wednesday, renewing a waiver of nuclear-related sanctions despite his past criticism of the agreement. But it imposed new measures to punish Iranian defence officials and a Chinese business tied to Tehran's ballistic missile programme, which it says is in breach of international law because they could carry nuclear warheads in the future. The decision came just before a Friday presidential election in Iran, in which moderate President Hassan Rouhani is fighting for a second term against hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who has called for a much tougher stance against the West. Iran denies ever seeking nuclear weapons and Ghasemi said its missile programme is part of its "absolute and legal right to build up the country's defensive capabilities". "The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its missile programme with power and authority based on its plans," he said. Ghasemi said Iran would retaliate by adding nine US individuals and companies to its own sanctions list, accusing them of "clear violations of human rights" in relation to their support for Israel or "terrorist groups" in the Middle East. Under review Trump threatened to tear up the nuclear deal during his campaign and has launched a review of its terms, but until then he is required to decide on renewing sanctions relief at regular intervals. His first deadline fell this week, related to sanctions on oil purchases through the Iranian central bank -- part of a 2012 law called the National Defence Authorisation Act -- that must be waived every 120 days. The Trump administration will have to waive more sanctions next month if it wants to stick by the nuclear deal. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in April that Iran was complying with its side of the bargain, but has described the country as the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. Washington has maintained a raft of other sanctions related to human rights and the missile programme that continue to stifle Iran's efforts to rebuild its foreign trade. This has been a major issue in the Iranian election, with hardliner Raisi accusing Rouhani of making too many concessions without gaining any economic benefits. Although oil sales have rebounded since the deal came into effect in January 2016, Iran's continued exclusion from the international banking system has prevented it from signing much needed trade and investment deals with Europe and Asia. Rouhani, who is still seen as the frontrunner in unofficial polls, has vowed to work towards the removal of remaining sanctions and called for more time to allow the benefits of the deal to reach ordinary Iranians. (AFP)

Iran irate as US slaps fresh nuclear missile sanctions

What started the problem?

On Sunday (January 29), a White House official, requesting anonymity, said Iran had conducted a ballistic missile test from a site east of Tehran.

But a United States defence official told CNN that the test failed and posed no immediate threat to the US or countries in the Middle East. The&nbsp;missile exploded after 630 miles (1,010 kms), the official said.

Iran&#39;s alleged violation of the nuclear deal signed by it and six world powers in 2015 has raised concerns around the world, especially in the Middle East and the US.

A United Nations resolution had barred Tehran from developing &quot;ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads&quot;.&nbsp;

That resolution ratified the July 2015 nuclear accord which aimed to scale down Tehran&#39;s nuclear activity.

In return, Iran won relief from debilitating economic sanctions.

International reaction

Iran&#39;s alleged contravention of Security Council Resolution 2231 has received widespread condemnation.

The United States, in particular, has come down hard on Tehran. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Iran&#39;s action is &quot;absolutely unacceptable&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The United States is not naive. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out as we said we would and you are also going to see us act accordingly,&quot; Haley said.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner dubbed Tehran&#39;s action as &quot;provocative&quot; and &quot;irresponsible&quot;.

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Iran had breached the nuclear accord that was so painfully drawn up and agreed to by Tehran and the six world powers --&nbsp;United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France.

But he added that they were still in favour of the continuation of the nuclear deal and wants Tehran to avoid activities &quot;that could put the accord in jeopardy&quot;.

&quot;This deal has to be rigorously kept to,&quot; Ayrault said.

Israel&#39;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the missile test was a &quot;flagrant violation&quot; of the UN resolution. He also said he would raise the matter with the US later this month to impose stricter sanctions on Tehran. On his Facebook page, the Israeli premier said: &quot;Iranian aggression must not go unanswered.&quot;

Russia, however, has backed Iran, saying the missile test rumours were being circulated to &quot;heat up the situation&quot;.

&quot;Such actions, if they took place, do not breach the resolution,&quot; Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax news agency,&nbsp;

What does Iran say?

Tehran has neither confirmed nor denied the missile test. But they have denied contravention of the nuclear accord.

Earlier, the country&#39;s foreign minister,&nbsp;Javad Zarif, said the missile&nbsp;was not a part of the nuclear accord&nbsp;and insisted that Iran &quot;will never use missiles produced in Iran to attack any other country&quot;.

&quot;No Iranian missiles have been produced to carry nuclear warheads,&quot; said Zarif, speaking at a joint news conference held with Ayrault in Tehran on Wednesday (February 1).

Zarif said the country&#39;s missiles are &quot;not designed for the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead&quot;. Instead, they were testing the missiles as part of a self-defence exercise.

Later in the day,&nbsp;&nbsp;Iran&#39;s defense minister said confirmed the Islamic Republic had tested a new missile, but added the test did not breach Tehran&#39;s nuclear accord.

&quot;The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defense affairs,&quot; Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said, according to Tasnim news agency.

&quot;The test did not violate the nuclear deal or the (UN) resolution 2231,&quot; he said.

So where does it all lead to?

Israel has been vocal about the alleged violation, mainly because it wants the US to renew sanctions on Iran. Other countries in the Middle East and Israel were up in arms when the previous US administration, under Barack Obama, had decided to lift the crippling sanctions that had been in place on the Shia-dominated country.

Israel&#39;s criticism, in particular, seems to be a subtle way of pushing the Donald Trump administration to act tough on Iran. The matter is expected to come up when the leaders of the two countries meet in a fortnight&#39;s time.

Trump&#39;s action against Iran will be his first litmus test, more so because the United States president has previously demonstrated his hawkish stance against Tehran.

During the poll campaign, Trump had said he would blow up Iranian vessels &quot;out of the water&quot; if they threatened US ships. But the problem is that Trump has long stated downscaling of US presence in the Middle East. What remains to be seen is whether Trump will reimpose strict sanctions on Tehran or get into a diplomatic loggerheads with them.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

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&nbsp;

Tehran said it was not a breach of the accord it signed with 6 world powers in 2015. So what happens next?

What started the problem? On Sunday (January 29), a White House official, requesting anonymity, said Iran had conducted a ballistic missile test from a site east of Tehran. But a United States defence official told CNN that the test failed and posed no immediate threat to the US or countries in the Middle East. The missile exploded after 630 miles (1,010 kms), the official said. Iran's alleged violation of the nuclear deal signed by it and six world powers in 2015 has raised concerns around the world, especially in the Middle East and the US. A United Nations resolution had barred Tehran from developing "ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads". That resolution ratified the July 2015 nuclear accord which aimed to scale down Tehran's nuclear activity. In return, Iran won relief from debilitating economic sanctions. International reaction Iran's alleged contravention of Security Council Resolution 2231 has received widespread condemnation. The United States, in particular, has come down hard on Tehran. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Iran's action is "absolutely unacceptable". "The United States is not naive. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out as we said we would and you are also going to see us act accordingly," Haley said. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner dubbed Tehran's action as "provocative" and "irresponsible". French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Iran had breached the nuclear accord that was so painfully drawn up and agreed to by Tehran and the six world powers -- United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France. But he added that they were still in favour of the continuation of the nuclear deal and wants Tehran to avoid activities "that could put the accord in jeopardy". "This deal has to be rigorously kept to," Ayrault said. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the missile test was a "flagrant violation" of the UN resolution. He also said he would raise the matter with the US later this month to impose stricter sanctions on Tehran. On his Facebook page, the Israeli premier said: "Iranian aggression must not go unanswered." Russia, however, has backed Iran, saying the missile test rumours were being circulated to "heat up the situation". "Such actions, if they took place, do not breach the resolution," Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax news agency, What does Iran say? Tehran has neither confirmed nor denied the missile test. But they have denied contravention of the nuclear accord. Earlier, the country's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said the missile was not a part of the nuclear accord and insisted that Iran "will never use missiles produced in Iran to attack any other country". "No Iranian missiles have been produced to carry nuclear warheads," said Zarif, speaking at a joint news conference held with Ayrault in Tehran on Wednesday (February 1). Zarif said the country's missiles are "not designed for the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead". Instead, they were testing the missiles as part of a self-defence exercise. Later in the day, Iran's defense minister said confirmed the Islamic Republic had tested a new missile, but added the test did not breach Tehran's nuclear accord. "The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defense affairs," Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said, according to Tasnim news agency. "The test did not violate the nuclear deal or the (UN) resolution 2231," he said. So where does it all lead to? Israel has been vocal about the alleged violation, mainly because it wants the US to renew sanctions on Iran. Other countries in the Middle East and Israel were up in arms when the previous US administration, under Barack Obama, had decided to lift the crippling sanctions that had been in place on the Shia-dominated country. Israel's criticism, in particular, seems to be a subtle way of pushing the Donald Trump administration to act tough on Iran. The matter is expected to come up when the leaders of the two countries meet in a fortnight's time. Trump's action against Iran will be his first litmus test, more so because the United States president has previously demonstrated his hawkish stance against Tehran. During the poll campaign, Trump had said he would blow up Iranian vessels "out of the water" if they threatened US ships. But the problem is that Trump has long stated downscaling of US presence in the Middle East. What remains to be seen is whether Trump will reimpose strict sanctions on Tehran or get into a diplomatic loggerheads with them. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Iran tests ballistic missile, sparks flutter and fury

US President Barack Obama has marked the first anniversary of the nuclear deal with Iran by emphasising its &quot;significant and concrete results&quot; and warning against undoing a pact supported by the world&#39;s major powers.

In language that seemed clearly directed at incoming president Donald Trump, who is set to take office on Friday, Obama said yesterday &quot;the United States must remember that this agreement was the result of years of work, and represents an agreement between the world&#39;s major powers - not simply the United States and Iran.&quot;

He said the deal had &quot;achieved significant, concrete results in making the United States and the world a safer place&quot; and &quot;verifiably prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.&quot;

Such a diplomatic solution, he added, was &quot;far preferable to an unconstrained Iranian nuclear program or another war in the Middle East.&quot;

Trump has often denounced the nuclear deal, and in a Sunday interview with The Times, London and Bild newspaper of Germany he continued his criticism, saying, &quot;I&#39;m not happy with the Iran deal, I think it&#39;s one of the worst deals ever made.&quot;

But he declined to say whether he intended to &quot;renegotiate&quot; the deal, as he asserted regularly during the presidential campaign.

Obama insisted yesterday that despite US reservations about other actions by Iran - including its support for &quot;violent proxies&quot; and &quot;terrorist groups&quot; - Tehran was &quot;upholding its commitments, demonstrating the success of diplomacy.&quot;

Iran, he said, had &quot;reduced its uranium stockpile by 98 per cent and removed two-thirds of its centrifuges.&quot;

&quot;There is no question, however, that the challenges we face with Iran would be much worse if Iran were also on the threshold of building a nuclear weapon,&quot; Obama said.

Secretary of State John Kerry, who helped negotiate the deal, said the Iran agreement had &quot;resolved a major nuclear threat without firing a shot or sending a single soldier into combat.&quot;

&quot;It was endorsed unanimously by the United Nations Security Council and earned the support of more than 100 countries across the globe,&quot; he added.

For all of Trump&#39;s sharp criticism of Iran and the nuclear deal, the policy he will embrace once in office remains unclear.

One of his top cabinet nominees, retired Marine general James Mattis, said last week that if he is confirmed as defence secretary, he will support the nuclear deal.

&quot;When America gives her word,&quot; he told senators during his confirmation hearing, &quot;we have to live up to it and work with our allies.&quot;

The pact was signed in July 2015 by Iran and six major powers - the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany - and led to the lifting exactly a year ago of most international sanctions against Iran.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Such a diplomatic solution, he said, was 'far preferable to an unconstrained Iranian nuclear program or another war in the Middle East'

US President Barack Obama has marked the first anniversary of the nuclear deal with Iran by emphasising its "significant and concrete results" and warning against undoing a pact supported by the world's major powers. In language that seemed clearly directed at incoming president Donald Trump, who is set to take office on Friday, Obama said yesterday "the United States must remember that this agreement was the result of years of work, and represents an agreement between the world's major powers - not simply the United States and Iran." He said the deal had "achieved significant, concrete results in making the United States and the world a safer place" and "verifiably prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." Such a diplomatic solution, he added, was "far preferable to an unconstrained Iranian nuclear program or another war in the Middle East." Trump has often denounced the nuclear deal, and in a Sunday interview with The Times, London and Bild newspaper of Germany he continued his criticism, saying, "I'm not happy with the Iran deal, I think it's one of the worst deals ever made." But he declined to say whether he intended to "renegotiate" the deal, as he asserted regularly during the presidential campaign. Obama insisted yesterday that despite US reservations about other actions by Iran - including its support for "violent proxies" and "terrorist groups" - Tehran was "upholding its commitments, demonstrating the success of diplomacy." Iran, he said, had "reduced its uranium stockpile by 98 per cent and removed two-thirds of its centrifuges." "There is no question, however, that the challenges we face with Iran would be much worse if Iran were also on the threshold of building a nuclear weapon," Obama said. Secretary of State John Kerry, who helped negotiate the deal, said the Iran agreement had "resolved a major nuclear threat without firing a shot or sending a single soldier into combat." "It was endorsed unanimously by the United Nations Security Council and earned the support of more than 100 countries across the globe," he added. For all of Trump's sharp criticism of Iran and the nuclear deal, the policy he will embrace once in office remains unclear. One of his top cabinet nominees, retired Marine general James Mattis, said last week that if he is confirmed as defence secretary, he will support the nuclear deal. "When America gives her word," he told senators during his confirmation hearing, "we have to live up to it and work with our allies." The pact was signed in July 2015 by Iran and six major powers - the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany - and led to the lifting exactly a year ago of most international sanctions against Iran. (AFP)

On first anniversary, Obama warns Trump not to undo Iran nuclear deal

Iran ordered its scientists on Tuesday to start developing systems for nuclear-powered marine vessels in response to what it calls a U.S. violation of its landmark 2015 atomic deal with world powers.

Nuclear experts said that President Hassan Rouhani&#39;s move, if carried out, would probably require Iran to enrich uranium to a fissile purity above the maximum level set in the nuclear deal to allay fears of Tehran building an atomic bomb.&nbsp;

Rouhani&#39;s announcement marked Tehran&#39;s first concrete reaction to a decision by the US&nbsp;Congress last month to extend some sanctions on Tehran that would also make it easier to reimpose others lifted under the nuclear pact.&nbsp;

The White House said it was aware of Iran&#39;s order and noted that Rouhani had said any such work on the vessels would be done within the framework of Iran&#39;s commitments.&nbsp;

&quot;The announcement from the Iranians today does not run counter to the international agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,&quot; White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a news briefing.

US&nbsp;State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States was confident the International Atomic Energy Agency, which inspects Iran&#39;s nuclear sites, would be able to analyse Iran&#39;s compliance with the deal.

&quot;There&#39;s a lot we don&#39;t know about it, what it means,&quot; Kirby said, referring to Rouhani`s announcement, at a news briefing on Tuesday. A marine nuclear propulsion program is a &quot;massive undertaking for any nation&quot; and would likely take decades to realize, he added.

Rouhani described the technology as a &quot;nuclear propeller to be used in marine transportation,&quot; but did not say whether that meant just ships or possibly also submarines. Iran said in 2012 that it was working on its first nuclear-powered sub.

Rouhani&#39;s words could stoke tensions with Washington, already heightened by US&nbsp;President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s vow to scrap the deal, under which Iran curbed its nuclear fuel production activities in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

Rouhani also ordered planning for production of fuel for nuclear-powered marine vessels &quot;in line with the development of a peaceful nuclear programme of Iran&quot;.

But under the nuclear settlement Iran reached with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, it is not allowed to enrich uranium above a 3.67 per cent purity for 15 years, a level unlikely to be enough to run such vessels.

&quot;On the basis of international experience, were Iran to go ahead with such a (nuclear propulsion) project, it would have to increase its enrichment level,&quot; said Mark Hibbs, nuclear expert and senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

He pointed out that countries with more advanced navies and nuclear programmes have been working on propulsion reactors for decades. Such technology might need uranium enriched to around 20 per cent purity.

(Reuters)

The first signs of bilateral strain comes after the US Congress extended some sanctions on Tehran last month

Iran ordered its scientists on Tuesday to start developing systems for nuclear-powered marine vessels in response to what it calls a U.S. violation of its landmark 2015 atomic deal with world powers. Nuclear experts said that President Hassan Rouhani's move, if carried out, would probably require Iran to enrich uranium to a fissile purity above the maximum level set in the nuclear deal to allay fears of Tehran building an atomic bomb. Rouhani's announcement marked Tehran's first concrete reaction to a decision by the US Congress last month to extend some sanctions on Tehran that would also make it easier to reimpose others lifted under the nuclear pact. The White House said it was aware of Iran's order and noted that Rouhani had said any such work on the vessels would be done within the framework of Iran's commitments. "The announcement from the Iranians today does not run counter to the international agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a news briefing. US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States was confident the International Atomic Energy Agency, which inspects Iran's nuclear sites, would be able to analyse Iran's compliance with the deal. "There's a lot we don't know about it, what it means," Kirby said, referring to Rouhani`s announcement, at a news briefing on Tuesday. A marine nuclear propulsion program is a "massive undertaking for any nation" and would likely take decades to realize, he added. Rouhani described the technology as a "nuclear propeller to be used in marine transportation," but did not say whether that meant just ships or possibly also submarines. Iran said in 2012 that it was working on its first nuclear-powered sub. Rouhani's words could stoke tensions with Washington, already heightened by US President-elect Donald Trump's vow to scrap the deal, under which Iran curbed its nuclear fuel production activities in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Rouhani also ordered planning for production of fuel for nuclear-powered marine vessels "in line with the development of a peaceful nuclear programme of Iran". But under the nuclear settlement Iran reached with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, it is not allowed to enrich uranium above a 3.67 per cent purity for 15 years, a level unlikely to be enough to run such vessels. "On the basis of international experience, were Iran to go ahead with such a (nuclear propulsion) project, it would have to increase its enrichment level," said Mark Hibbs, nuclear expert and senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He pointed out that countries with more advanced navies and nuclear programmes have been working on propulsion reactors for decades. Such technology might need uranium enriched to around 20 per cent purity. (Reuters)

Iran to build nuclear vessels as US 'violates' deal

Iran today said that Congress&#39;s decision to renew US sanctions for 10 years was a violation of last year&#39;s nuclear agreement and promised an &quot;appropriate&quot; response.

&quot;As repeatedly stated by high-ranking Iranian officials, the recent bill passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate to renew sanctions against Iran is against the (nuclear deal),&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said.

&quot;Iran has proved that it sticks to its international agreements but it also has appropriate responses for all situations.&quot;

The Iran Sanctions Act passed the Senate 99-0 yesterday, after easily clearing the House of Representatives last month.

President Barack Obama is expected to sign the measure, a White House official said, adding that the administration does not believe the extension violates the nuclear deal.

The legislation does not directly address the nuclear pact. But some say the restrictions in the bill go against the spirit of the agreement, under which Tehran curbed its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief from the United States and other nations.

The bill includes penalties against Iran&#39;s banking sector, as well as its energy and defence industries.

Senate Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Tim Kaine, who both backed the nuclear deal, said that while the president was currently waiving some sanctions as part of the agreement, &quot;sanctions legislation must remain in place to allow an immediate snap-back&quot; in the event of any violation by Iran.

The head of Iran&#39;s Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, said the US sanctions legislation &quot;does exist but its effect has been currently neutralised by the US president&quot;.

&quot;If it becomes operational again, it&#39;s a clear violation,&quot; he told state television.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last month that he considered the sanctions bill a breach of the nuclear deal and warned Iran would &quot;react against it&quot;.

US President-elect Donald Trump heavily criticised the pact as he campaigned for the White House over the past year. Several fellow Republicans have called for its termination.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Threatening retaliation, Iran said Washington's decision to extend sanctions for 10 years violates the 2015 nuclear agreement

Iran today said that Congress's decision to renew US sanctions for 10 years was a violation of last year's nuclear agreement and promised an "appropriate" response. "As repeatedly stated by high-ranking Iranian officials, the recent bill passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate to renew sanctions against Iran is against the (nuclear deal)," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said. "Iran has proved that it sticks to its international agreements but it also has appropriate responses for all situations." The Iran Sanctions Act passed the Senate 99-0 yesterday, after easily clearing the House of Representatives last month. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the measure, a White House official said, adding that the administration does not believe the extension violates the nuclear deal. The legislation does not directly address the nuclear pact. But some say the restrictions in the bill go against the spirit of the agreement, under which Tehran curbed its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief from the United States and other nations. The bill includes penalties against Iran's banking sector, as well as its energy and defence industries. Senate Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Tim Kaine, who both backed the nuclear deal, said that while the president was currently waiving some sanctions as part of the agreement, "sanctions legislation must remain in place to allow an immediate snap-back" in the event of any violation by Iran. The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, said the US sanctions legislation "does exist but its effect has been currently neutralised by the US president". "If it becomes operational again, it's a clear violation," he told state television. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last month that he considered the sanctions bill a breach of the nuclear deal and warned Iran would "react against it". US President-elect Donald Trump heavily criticised the pact as he campaigned for the White House over the past year. Several fellow Republicans have called for its termination. (AFP)

Iran: US extension of sanctions act violates nuclear deal

Iran has gone over the heavy-water limit for the second time this year, The UN said Wednesday.

Heavy water is a sensitive material used in as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

The announcement came hours after Republican Donald Trump became the next president of the United States.

Trump has been scathing of the Obama administration&#39;s nuclear deal&nbsp;with Iran. Under the nuclear deal, Iran had agreed to lower its ambition of acquiring a nuclear weapon by reducing its urnanium stockpile and not fuelling its two nuclear reactors.&nbsp;

Although the agreement was hailed by many, Trump has remained a vociferous critic and has even called it the &quot;worst deal ever negotiated&quot;.

Trump was one of many dissenting voices who wanted the Arak reactor in Iran to be completely dismantled. The deal, however, did not put forth any such compulsion on Tehran as it was assured that the reactor would not be fuelled.

On Wednesday, a UN atomic watchdog said Iran currently had 130.1 tonnes of heavy-water.&nbsp;

Under the deal, Iran cannot have more than 130 toness of the material.

However, Iran has told the agency that it will transfer five tonnes of heavy water out of the country to abide by the agreement that was signed with the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany in January.

A US&nbsp;State Department spokesman, speaking at a regular news briefing in Washington, confirmed Iran&#39;s intention to export the excess heavy water.

&quot;It&#39;s important to note that Iran made no effort to hide this, hide what it was doing from the IAEA,&quot; spokesman Mark Toner said, referring to&nbsp;International Atomic Energy Agency.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The announcement comes hours after Donald Trump, who is a vocal critic of the agreement with Iran, was elected the new US president

Iran has gone over the heavy-water limit for the second time this year, The UN said Wednesday. Heavy water is a sensitive material used in as a moderator in nuclear reactors. The announcement came hours after Republican Donald Trump became the next president of the United States. Trump has been scathing of the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran. Under the nuclear deal, Iran had agreed to lower its ambition of acquiring a nuclear weapon by reducing its urnanium stockpile and not fuelling its two nuclear reactors. Although the agreement was hailed by many, Trump has remained a vociferous critic and has even called it the "worst deal ever negotiated". Trump was one of many dissenting voices who wanted the Arak reactor in Iran to be completely dismantled. The deal, however, did not put forth any such compulsion on Tehran as it was assured that the reactor would not be fuelled. On Wednesday, a UN atomic watchdog said Iran currently had 130.1 tonnes of heavy-water. Under the deal, Iran cannot have more than 130 toness of the material. However, Iran has told the agency that it will transfer five tonnes of heavy water out of the country to abide by the agreement that was signed with the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany in January. A US State Department spokesman, speaking at a regular news briefing in Washington, confirmed Iran's intention to export the excess heavy water. "It's important to note that Iran made no effort to hide this, hide what it was doing from the IAEA," spokesman Mark Toner said, referring to International Atomic Energy Agency. (With inputs from Reuters)

Iran breaches its nuclear deal limit, says UN watchdog

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