Iran says Europe must not pay Trump ‘ransom’ over nuclear deal

A top Iranian official on Tuesday welcomes European powers’ efforts to salvage a historic nuclear deal, but warns they should not simply hand over “a ransom” to US President Donald Trump.

Trump has threatened not to renew the 2015 accord, which curbed Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

His threats have prompted pressure from European officials ahead of a May 12 deadline for his decision.

“We have welcomed the insistence of the European Union on keeping America in the JCPOA (nuclear deal),” says Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security, in a televised press conference.

“But if this means degrading the Islamic republic of Iran or paying a ransom to Trump, the Europeans are making a strategic mistake,” he says.

— AFP

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