The Iranian Regime’s ballistic missile program and the mullahs’ destabilising effect on the Middle East will be one of the biggest subjects of discussion at an upcoming meeting between European leaders and the Regime, according to the UK’s Middle East Minister Alistair Burt.
These issues were some of the problems that Donald Trump had noted in January, when he gave Europe the final deadline on the Iran deal. Although Trump pulled out of the Iran deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), last week, this move shows that Europe and the US both agree that the Iranian Regime needs to address these issues.
Burt told Asharq Al-Awsat news agency: “The situation has changed in terms of the US decision. But the issues which have concerned the United States and led them to pull out are extremely important and it appears clear that these must be addressed by the Iranians as well. Iran cannot rely solely on its adherence to the JCPOA and not take action in other areas. The UK will continue its obligations under the JCPOA and find ways to involve Iran positively in the region.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News on Sunday that the White House still wanted to work with its European partners to counter Iran’s “malign behaviour” and that Trump asked him “to work to strike a deal that achieves the outcomes that protect America.”
Iranian aggression
The Iranian Regime has ramped up its destabilising activities in the Middle East since the nuclear deal was signed, supporting the Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, funding the Houthi terrorists in Yemen, and attacking US allies like Israel.
While Burt has urged all parties to avoid escalating the crisis, following Iran’s attack on Israel in Golan Heights, he stressed that Israel has the right to defend itself.
He said that the UK has urged the US to remain actively involved in the Syrian crisis, both militarily and politically. The UK supports a political transition to end the conflict and free Syria from Assad.
He said: “Firstly, the conflict in Syria needs to stop, the fighting need to stop and the UN resolutions for cease-fires need to be respected by all sides in order to give the political process a chance. Secondly, the Geneva process should be followed to provide the political space for conclusions to be drawn. Thirdly, it must ultimately be for the people of Syria to make their decisions about their own country and direction and shape that it has. But fourthly, in terms of that ultimate solution to the political issue, everyone should be working toward something where the chance of conflict in the future is completely minimized or eliminated.”
Source » ncr-iran