Trump wrong to back out of Iran nuclear deal, says Norfolk MP
MP Richard Bacon has slammed the decision by US president Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. Photo: Sonya Duncan - Credit: Eastern Daily Press vÉÄö
A Norfolk MP has slammed the US president for his decision to back out of the Iran nuclear deal.
President Donald Trump speaks to media as he meets with crew and passengers of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) - Credit: AP
Richard Bacon, who chairs the all-parliamentary group on Iran, has said he 'deeply regrets' Donald Trump's move to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Tuesday.
The deal, a legacy of the Obama administration, saw devastating economic sanctions on Iran being lifted in exchange for the reduction in the country's nuclear programme.
Conservative MP for South Norfolk Mr Bacon said: 'I deeply regret President Trump's announcement that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. This move increases the level of tension and uncertainty in the region.
'The JCPOA is a successful diplomatic agreement which was reached after many years of painstaking diplomacy.'
In this picture released by official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to the crowd during his meeting with a group of labors in Tehran, Iran, Monday, April 30, 2018. According to his website, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday that the "Americans are trying to put Saudis and some other regional countries before Iran. If they are wise, they should not be deceived by the U.S." (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) - Credit: AP
Other signatories to the deal - Germany, France, Russia, China and Britain - have all agreed to maintain the JCPOA in the absence of American support.
Mr Bacon added: 'It is important to remember that the JCPOA was not designed to deal with every single difference between all the countries of the Middle East but simply to focus on the Iranian nuclear issue – and it has done this very successfully.
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'It is also very important to remember that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated repeatedly that Iran is complying with the terms of the JCPOA.
'I believe that the JCPOA is a good example of how different countries – by coming together diplomatically – can reduce tension and work towards better relations. Such an approach can also be applied to other problems.'
Since President Trump's announcement tensions in the region have increased with an Iranian attack on Israel, who responded with air strikes, and a near record fall in the persian currency.
There have been chants of 'death to America' in Tehran's parliament building and the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said 'Mr Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake'.
Mr Bacon welcomes the fact that the reamining signatories to the JCPOA have chosen to support the agreement and added they will have to work harder to maintain it without US support.
