Trump and Theresa May Discuss Iran and New Metal Tariffs

Reports indicate that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, and Theresa May, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, discussed Iran, metal tariffs, and the G7 meeting during a phone call on Monday, June 4. The White House stated that in this conversation, President Trump called for a new and comprehensive agreement with Iran, one that includes all of Iran's destabilizing behaviors, including in Syria and Yemen. On May 8, Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran known as the 'JCPOA' and would not only reinstate suspended sanctions on Iran but also impose new penalties against Tehran. The U.S. President stated that the Islamic Republic continued to expand its ballistic missile program and 'support for terrorism' in the region even after the JCPOA. U.S. officials say the goal of the new U.S. strategy towards Iran is to change the behavior of the country's leaders. In this context, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the U.S. would impose 'the toughest sanctions in history' against Iran and that if the Iranian government does not change its behavior, the pressure of sanctions will increase. He criticized the approach of European countries towards Iran, stating that they have done 'nothing' to counter Iran's ballistic missile programs. Meanwhile, Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, stated that the reason for Europe's efforts to preserve the JCPOA is not due to economic interests but for security interests. Regarding metal tariffs, the White House stated that Trump and May also discussed U.S.-European trade relations. A spokesperson for the British Prime Minister stated that May described the increase in U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports as 'unfair' and deeply disappointing. On Friday, June 1, the U.S. announced that new tariffs would be applied to steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. According to the spokesperson, May also expressed that 'the U.S., the U.K., and Europe are close allies in terms of national security, and we agree on the value and importance of free and fair trade.' The British Prime Minister also expressed hope that discussions on this matter would continue during her meeting with Trump at the G7 summit in Quebec, Canada, this week. European countries threatened to respond appropriately to the U.S. increase in tariffs on aluminum and steel imports. Since the beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he intends to revive American industries by supporting domestic production, and in this context, he is considering more tariffs on imported goods to the U.S.