Mike Pence: America Will No Longer Endorse Nuclear Agreement with Iran
Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States, called Iran the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and said America will no longer tolerate Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region.
On Thursday, February 22 (Esfand 3), Vice President Mike Pence’s remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference strengthened speculation that the United States might reinstate sanctions on Iranian oil sales.
Mike Pence said that America will no longer endorse a “catastrophic nuclear agreement” with Iran. He called Iran the leading state sponsor of terrorism and said the United States will no longer tolerate this country’s destabilizing activities in the region.
Donald Trump, the U.S. President, who has repeatedly expressed his opposition to the Iranian nuclear agreement, extended the waiver of Iran sanctions for another 120 days in January 2018. At the same time, he threatened Europe that if the text of this agreement is not modified, America will withdraw from it. This 120-day deadline ends on May 11.
Trump called the JCPOA the worst deal ever made and said there are “many violations” of the agreement by Iran.
American analyst Joe McMonigle said on Thursday that Mike Pence’s remarks indicate that the Trump administration is heading toward reinstituting oil sanctions on Iran at the end of the final deadline set for May.
He said he believes the only way to save the nuclear agreement now is through the European Union and reaching some kind of side agreement on ballistic missiles. McMonigle also clarified that he does not think Iran will cooperate in this regard.
Iran has repeatedly insisted on continuing its missile program and stated that this program is defensive in nature and that the Islamic Republic of Iran does not intend to negotiate on this matter.
Source: DW
