Pompeo presses Europeans over Iran's plan to expand nuclear R&D
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called on European countries to end what he referred to as “Iran's nuclear extortion."
Pompeo took to Twitter on Friday to press the European nations after Tehran's announcement of further cuts in its commitments under a 2015 nuclear accord it signed with major world powers.
We are confident that the UK, France, and Germany - indeed, all civilized nations - will take decisive actions to stop Iran's nuclear extortion.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 6, 2019
On Thursday, Iran informed the European Union that it would begin unlimited nuclear research and development work from Friday, officially unleashing the third stage of its measured responses to Europe's lack of action in the face of Washington's violation of the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the EU foreign policy chief in a letter that Iran was further scaling back its commitments under the JCPOA due to the inability of the deal's three European signatories -- Britain, France and Germany -- to meet their end of the bargain.
Zarif's remarks came after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday the country would expand its nuclear research and development as of September 6, setting aside the restrictions imposed on the country's research and development (R&D) in the JCPOA.
Pompeo, nonetheless, accused Iran of intending to build "their nuclear weapons systems."
"Those things are unacceptable," he told Kansas City radio station KCMO.
The top US diplomat, however, pointed to President Donald Trump’s willingness to hold talks with Iran.
"For months now President Trump has said that he'd be happy to meet with Iranian leadership with no preconditions. But our outcome from those conversations is also unambiguous," said Pompeo in the interview.
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