President Trump was “isolated” at this week’s United Nations Security Council in a group of diplomats who supported the 2015 nuclear deal, according to Iran’s top diplomat.
“Once again, the U.S. abused the UNSC only to find itself further isolated,” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted Wednesday. “When will it learn its lesson?”
Trump presided over a council meeting devoted to curtailing the spread of weapons of mass destruction. The United States broadened the topic from its original focus on Iran, reportedly to avoid a theatrical clash with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who would have been entitled to attend the meeting, and also avoid statements from the rest of the council in favor of the nuclear deal.
“This horrible, one-sided deal allowed Iran to continue its path towards a bomb and gave the regime a cash lifeline when they needed it the most,” Trump said during the council meeting. “They were in big, big trouble. They needed cash. We gave it to them. In the years since the deal was signed, Iran’s aggression only increased. The regime used new funds from the deal to support terrorism, build nuclear-capable missiles, and foment chaos.”
That statement didn’t go unchallenged. “It remains the best means of preventing Iran developing a nuclear weapon, and we are committed to preserving the JCPOA as long as Iran continues to abide by its obligations in full,” as British Prime Minister Theresa May countered.
But the scope of the meeting allowed for other developments, such as Trump’s pointed accusation that China is interfering in the 2018 elections. “They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade,” he said. “And we are winning on trade. We are winning at every level. We don’t want them to meddle or interfere in our upcoming election.”
China denied that allegation. White House officials subsequently pointed to the retaliatory tariffs that China has imposed in response to new U.S. tariffs.
“Some examples of the ways that China is actively interfering in our political system include hurting farmers and workers in states and districts that voted for the president because he stood up to the ways China has taken advantage of our country economically,” a White House official said during a five-minute conference call buttressing the president’s comment.
The real confrontation over the Iran deal took place off-stage. Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s top diplomat, joined with Russia and China to announce a new means of financing transactions with Iran that is designed to circumvent the renewed U.S. sanctions. But State Department officials don’t believe that plan will be effective.
“I think there is more daylight between European companies and the EU than there is between the U.S. and our European allies,” Brian Hook, the special representative for Iran, told reporters Wednesday night. “Companies have a choice either to do business in Iran or in the United States. Very few companies are going to choose Iran over the United States, and so that’s just the economic reality. And so I really don’t think we need to spend a lot of time on special purpose vehicles.”
