US still using ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran, says Mnuchin
The US is still pursuing its campaign of ‘maximum pressure’ against Iran even after the departure of John Bolton.
The US is still pursuing its campaign of “maximum pressure” against Iran, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says, even after Donald Trump parted ways with his hardline national security adviser John Bolton.
Mr Mnuchin said on Friday there was no current plan for Mr Trump to meet Hassan Rouhani at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month, although he reiterated Mr Trump was open to meeting the Iranian President with no preconditions.
Mr Trump said later he believed Iran’s leadership wanted to talk, even though Tehran has so far not given a positive response. “I can tell you that Iran wants to meet,” he said
Mr Mnuchin, whose department plays a key role in carrying out US policy towards Iran through the imposition of economic sanctions, said Mr Trump’s remaining national security team was “executing on a maximum pressure strategy against Iran”.
“There’s no question it’s working,” he told CNBC.
“We have cut off their money, and that’s the reason why, if they do come back to the negotiation table, they’re coming back.”
Mr Mnuchin said the US strategy towards Iran was similar to the one the President was taking toward trade talks with China. “If the President can get the right deal that he’s talked about, we’ll negotiate with Iran. If not, we’ll continue the maximum pressure campaign,” he said.
Observers had been looking for any signals from Washington on possible changes in policy towards Iran after Mr Bolton left his post abruptly on Tuesday. Amid many policy disagreements, Mr Trump said he sacked Mr Bolton, while Mr Bolton said he resigned.
Iran, which had singled out Mr Bolton for criticism for his hawkish views, has denounced as “economic terrorism” the increasingly strict US sanctions imposed after Mr Trump last year pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers.
Mr Trump said the agreement, which put limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities in return for lifting of sanctions, left open a path for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and did not address Iran’s missile program and its regional behaviour. Iran has denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Iran has responded to US sanctions with steps to reduce its compliance with the accord, and has said it could eventually leave the pact unless other parties shield the Iranian economy from penalties.
Mr Rouhani said on Thursday that the US should distance itself from “warmongers” after Mr Bolton’s departure, and stood by his demand that sanctions be lifted before any talks. Mr Bolton, Mr Trump’s third national security adviser, was a chief architect of the stand against Iran and instigated the maximum pressure campaign aimed at bringing Tehran to the table to negotiate a new deal on curtailing its nuclear program.
Mr Trump hosed down reports that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would also become national security adviser.
“He likes the idea of having someone in there with him, and I do, too,” the President replied when asked if he would ask Mr Pompeo to replace Mr Bolton.
He called Mr Pompeo “fantastic” and said he gets along with him “so well”. Mr Trump said he was reviewing 15 candidates to take on the “great job” of co-ordinating US national security.
Speculation has risen that Mr Trump would tap Mr Pompeo in an all-powerful dual role in which he would remain Secretary of State. Such an arrangement is highly unusual but was given to Henry Kissinger by Richard Nixon as he became embroiled in the Watergate scandal.
Reuters, AFP
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