Al Jubeir doubts US, Europe talks can fix Iran nuclear deal

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir has raised doubts on whether talks between three European nations and the United States will be enough to fix the flaws in the Iran nuclear deal, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

Although the UK, France, and Germany agreed that “Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional activities had to be addressed,” they disagreed with the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel on the “need to revamp the accord,” he told reporters in Paris.

“The deal is lacking, and the agreement needs to be improved. I believe their (European) position is that if you have a deal you shouldn’t reopen the deal.

There is some talk (among them) on what options you could have to enhance the deal without removing the deal.”

In January, US President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to the European powers asking them to “fix the terrible flaws” of the 2015 deal or he would refuse to extend the US sanctions relief on Iran.

The US sanctions will resume if Trump does not waive them again on May 12.

The principle of the 2015 agreement between Iran and six major powers – the UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United States – was that Iran will restrict its nuclear program in return for relief from sanctions.

Al Jubeir said curbing Iran’s regional actions could no longer wait, as he called for Tehran’s “vision of darkness” to be stopped.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron issued statements late on Tuesday agreeing on the “need to curb Iran’s expansionism” in the region.

“We are against the Iran nuclear deal as it puts world peace at risk,” the prince said.