Donald Trump's Strong Criticism of John Kerry's Efforts to Preserve Iran Nuclear Deal

On Monday, May 6, Donald Trump criticized John Kerry, the former U.S. Secretary of State, in a tweet for reportedly consulting to preserve the nuclear deal with Iran. The U.S. President stated, "The United States does not need any possibly illegal shadow diplomacy efforts by John Kerry, especially in the very bad nuclear deal negotiated with Iran. He is the one who created this disaster." The Boston Globe reported last Friday that John Kerry, a key figure in the nuclear negotiations with Iran during Barack Obama's administration, is privately consulting with foreign officials to discuss strategies for maintaining U.S. involvement in the JCPOA. Since his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump has been a staunch critic of the deal, insisting it is a "very bad deal." He has given U.S. European allies until May 12 to make amendments to the JCPOA, or he will not extend the suspension of sanctions on Iran as per the agreement. Trump's four conditions for remaining in the JCPOA include "immediate access" for international inspectors to all Iranian sites and facilities, making nuclear restrictions permanent, ensuring Iran does not approach nuclear weapons, and limiting Iran's ballistic missile program. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that the Islamic Republic's reaction to a potential U.S. exit from the JCPOA would not be "pleasant" for the United States. Reports indicate that John Kerry has also met with Mohammad Javad Zarif. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, confirmed reports about Zarif's meeting with Kerry, stating that "we do not consider the United States to be only the Trump administration; many other individuals also influence decision-making processes." European officials are working to persuade Trump to maintain the JCPOA. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have recently engaged in discussions with Trump on this matter. British Prime Minister Theresa May has also spoken with Trump over the phone. Sir Kim Darroch, the British ambassador to the U.S., stated on CBS's "Face the Nation" that the British Prime Minister believes the JCPOA is not an "excellent" agreement but is considered a good one.