Tillerson: We Cannot Ignore Iran's Destabilizing Actions Due to Nuclear Agreement

The U.S. Secretary of State, in a meeting with the President of the European Union's foreign policy, stated that we cannot overlook Iran's destabilizing actions because of the nuclear agreement. Federica Mogherini also mentioned that we have the opportunity to cooperate and discuss issues unrelated to Iran's nuclear agreement. According to the transcript of the press conference held on Tuesday, December 5, in Brussels, the two sides discussed foreign policy issues including Iran, Syria, and Libya. Mogherini said: 'We discussed Iran – especially regarding the nuclear agreement. I emphasized the EU's view that the implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran is a key strategic priority not only for European security but also for regional and global security.' The EU foreign policy chief added: 'We also discussed the reality that there are other issues (regarding Iran) that are outside the scope of the nuclear agreement and we need to discuss them together and cooperate to address them. The EU is ready to work closely with the U.S. on these issues based on the continuity of U.S. cooperation in implementing the nuclear deal.' Mogherini continued: 'The decision was that the nuclear agreement should focus solely on nuclear activities, which dates back 14 years, so currently, canceling the nuclear agreement that has proven effective and has been confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency nine times does not put us in a better position to discuss other related issues regarding Iran.' Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, after Mogherini's remarks, referred to the topics discussed by both sides and said: 'As mentioned, we talked about the nuclear deal and that Iran should fully commit to it and implement it completely. At the same time, we must consider several of Iran's destabilizing actions in the region.' He added: 'We recently saw these actions in the ballistic missile launched from Yemen, which we believe is linked to Iran; their support for the Houthis and the destabilizing impact they have in Yemen. We also know that Iran is destabilizing the situation by sending weapons and militants to Syria, which is a conflict zone, and also their ongoing support for Hezbollah (Lebanon), which is a terrorist group.' Tillerson stated: 'We cannot overlook these actions and cannot leave them unanswered, and we intend to continue our actions to ensure that Iran understands that these actions are unacceptable to us and we are looking forward to cooperating with the EU in this regard. This, in my opinion, is a threat to our shared values.' Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has repeatedly stated that Iran has violated the spirit of the nuclear agreement with actions such as missile tests and jeopardizing stability in the Middle East and the world. In his latest quarterly report to Congress, he refrained from confirming Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement. Previously, Germany and France had stated that Paris and Berlin continue to support the nuclear agreement with Iran, while also calling for Iran to abandon its ballistic missile development program and 'hegemonic motivations' in the Middle East. The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the UK, alongside John Kerry, the then U.S. Secretary of State, and their counterparts from China and Russia, reached the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA in July 2015 after lengthy meetings and negotiations with Mohammad Javad Zarif and other Iranian officials. Donald Trump, who during the election campaign stated that he would abandon this agreement if he won, has repeatedly referred to it as 'the worst deal' he has seen.