Annan-led global leaders slam Trump for pulling out of Iran nuclear deal

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (APP):A group of independent global leaders led by former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan strongly condemned President Donald Trump’s decision Tuesday to withdraw the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — under which the Islamic Republic agreed to limit its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
The group — known as ‘The Elders’ — called on the other signatories to the deal including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and the European Union to continue to do everything in their power to sustain its spirit and implementation.
Annan, chairman of The Elders, said, “In announcing the US withdrawal from the pact, Trump said he will reimpose economic sanctions on Iran at “the highest level of economic sanction” and target “any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons” with sanctions, too.
“The JCPOA was a hard-won diplomatic achievement and proof of what robust negotiations on the part of all those involved can achieve. I deeply regret President Trump’s decision to withdraw, and urge all other signatories to renew their commitment to the deal and avoid a broader escalation of tensions across the Middle East.”
The Elders emphasised that after the JCPOA came into effect in January 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly confirmed Iran’s implementation of its provisions.
However, they also expressed alarm at recent threats by Iranian officials to resume nuclear fuel enrichment and even withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if President Trump proceeded with his threat to pull-out.
Ban Ki-moon, one of the Elders and UN Secretary-General from 2007-16, said:
“I am very worried about the risks of a new nuclear arms race, this time in the Middle East, as well as the negative implications for ongoing negotiations on North Korean nuclear issues. To prevent that frightening prospect, everyone must do what they can to keep the JCPOA alive and well. The UN Security Council ratified the agreement unanimously; no single country has the right to declare it dead.”
Gro Harlem Brundtland, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former Prime Minister of Norway, added:
“I believe that, in the end, common sense will prevail. So, I suggest that a seat at the table should be kept empty for the United States to return to this agreement. The NPT remains a critical element of international security architecture, and any withdrawal by Iran would not be in its long-term interests.”