STALEMATE

Iran’s President Rejects Idea of ‘Trump Deal’ on Nuclear Weapons

Britain’s prime minister suggested a new Trump-authored nuclear deal, but the idea is already being rejected in Tehran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has rubbished the suggestion that his country could sign up to a new “Trump deal” to resolve the row over Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested Tuesday that a new deal, created under President Trump’s name, should replace the one struck under President Obama in 2015. Trump welcomed Johnson’s suggestion on Twitter, writing: “I agree!” However, in a speech Wednesday, Rouhani told Trump to return to the original nuclear pact, which he abandoned in 2018, because a new deal won’t happen. “This Mr. Prime Minister in London, I don’t know how he thinks. He says let’s put aside the nuclear deal and put the Trump plan in action,” Rouhani said. “If you take the wrong step, it will be to your detriment. Pick the right path. The right path is to return to the nuclear deal.” Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said the idea of new negotiations with Washington was pointless, asking the question: “I had a U.S. deal and the U.S. broke it. If I have a Trump deal, how long will it last?”