MORE PUNISHMENT

Trump Wants to Sanction Iranian Official Who Negotiated Nuclear Deal: NYT

Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif told the newspaper he doubted sanctions “would serve anyone.”

White House officials told the New York Times that President Trump requested sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, who negotiated the Iran nuclear deal with the Obama administration. Zarif, who was an off-and-on U.S. resident for three decades, is reportedly considered “dangerous” to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton due to his U.S. ties. Zarif told the newspaper he had “no personal problem” with potential sanctions, because he has no assets in America and his “sole commitment” is Iran. “The only impact—and possibly the sole objective—of a possible designation would be to limit my ability to communicate. And I doubt that would serve anyone,” he told the Times. “Certainly it would limit the possibility of informed decision-making in Washington.” Trump pulled the U.S. out of the accord and Iran announced they broke deal terms by increasing enriched uranium production, which could be used for a nuclear weapon.