The US president has suggested that he is willing to talk to Iranian leadership despite tensions between Washington and Tehran. But US officials have warned of "a swift and decisive US response" if Iran strikes first.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/E. Vucci
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President Donald Trump told reporters at White House on Thursday that he was willing to hold talks with the Iranian leaders, should they reach out to him.
"What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me," Trump said.
The US president claimed that John Kerry, former secretary of state, had told Iran "not to call."
"But they should call … If they do, we are open to talk to them."
Trump also said that he ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier group to the Persian Gulf because the Iranians "were threatening."
"We have information that you don't want to know about," he said. "We don't want them to have nuclear weapons — not much to ask."
Last year, Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and has since then increased sanctions on Iran. The US accuses Iran of violating the pact by secretly building nuclear weapons.
A year after Donald Trump pulled the US from the international nuclear accord with Iran, the Middle East nation announced it would no longer adhere to some "voluntary commitments" in the accord.
Image: picture-alliance/epa/D. Calma
The deal breaker
President Donald Trump announced on May 8, 2018 that he was pulling the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, arguing that the international accord was not in America's "national interest." The decision threw a cloud of uncertainty over the future of the nuclear accord and raised tensions with US allies in Europe.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
Slap in the face
Britain, France and Germany lobbied the Trump administration and Congress to remain in the nuclear accord, arguing that the deal was working and a US violation without a follow up plan would be destabilizing. In European capitals, the Trump administration's withdrawal was viewed as a slap in the face of allies.
Image: Reuters/K. Lamarque
Iran scrap 'voluntary commitments'
A year to the day after Trump's announcement, Iran informed the other signatories of the accord that they would no longer adhere to certain "voluntary commitments." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the signatory nations had 60 days to implement promises to protect Iran's oil and banking sectors or Iran would resume the enrichment of uranium.
The decision came after the United States deployed an aircraft, the USS Lincoln, along with a bomber task force to the Middle East. Washington said the deployment was intended as a "clear unmistakable message." Iran said it took action because the European Union and others "did not have the power to resist US pressure."
Image: AP
A triumph of diplomacy
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed in 2015 by United States, China, Russia, France, Germany and Britain (P5+1) and Iran following years of negotiations. Under the international agreement, Iran agreed to dismantle its nuclear program and be subject to monitoring in exchange for the lifting of international nuclear related sanctions.
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Compliance and verification
The JCPOA includes a robust monitoring, verification and inspection regime carried out by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UN watch dog has verified Iran's compliance with the deal in 12 quarterly reports. The JCPOA allows Iran to pursue a peaceful nuclear program for commercial, medical and industrial purposes in line with international non-proliferation standards.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Schlager
Obama's achievement
The Iran nuclear deal was President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy achievement. Seeking to undo nearly every Obama administration legacy, Trump came into office calling it the "worst deal ever." The Trump administration argues the nuclear deal doesn't address other unrelated issues such as Iran's ballistic missiles, regional influence, support for "terrorist" groups and human rights.
Image: Reuters/Y. Gripas
Iranians approved
The nuclear deal and lifting of punishing nuclear related international sanctions created optimism in Iran after years of economic isolation. However, even before Trump pulled the US out of the deal, Tehran blamed the US for holding back international investment and not fulfilling its end of the bargain due to the uncertainty created by Trump's threats.
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The opponents
After eight years with Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu found the US president he wanted in Donald Trump. The Israeli leader repeatedly slammed the deal despite his own military and intelligence chiefs' assessment the that JCPOA, while not perfect, was working and should be maintained. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the other main opponents of the nuclear deal.
Image: Reuters/R. Zvulun
Who's left?
The EU-3 (Britain, France, Germany) have scrambled to ensure that Iran receives the economic benefits it was promised in order to avoid Tehran pulling out of the deal. As EU businesses face retaliation from the US for doing business with Iran, many are opting to avoid Iran. This would likely be a present to Chinese and Russian businesses.
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Risk of confrontation
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iran against confrontation, saying, "The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against US interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive US response."
The latest developments have raised the risk of a military encounter between the US and Iran.
When asked whether there was a risk of military confrontation with Iran, the US president said: "I guess you could say that always, right? I don't want to say no, but hopefully, that won't happen. We have one of the most powerful ships in the world that is loaded up and we don't want to do anything."
Ali Vaez, the Iran Project Director at the Crisis Group, believes the risk of a clash is "worryingly high."
"It certainly increases the risks. The presence of US warships in the Persian Gulf is not unusual. What is unusual is the Trump administration's level of bellicosity toward Iran. There is so much friction between Iran and the US — and their respective allies in the region — and with no channel of communication between these parties," Vaez told DW.
Need for a diplomatic solution
The European Union has called for a diplomatic solution to the standoff. On Thursday, leaders of the bloc reiterated their commitment to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, but insisted they would not accept any ultimatums.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel underlined the need for diplomacy after an EU meeting on Thursday in Romania. "Our hand remains outstretched at this point; we want to continue to push for a diplomatic solution," said Merkel, adding that Iran should "consider what it will do in the future."
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Iran not to leave the 2015 nuclear deal. "Iran must remain in this agreement and we must do everything we can to ensure that it stays in," he told reporters in Romania, where EU leaders discussed the standoff.
