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May chides Trump over decision to abandon Iran nuclear deal May chides Trump over decision to abandon Iran nuclear deal
(about 1 hour later)
Theresa May has used a UN security ouncil meeting chaired by Donald Trump to rebuke the US president for abandoning the Iran nuclear deal, telling him it remained “the best means of preventing Iran developing a nuclear weapon”. Theresa May has used a pair of speeches at the UN summit in New York to firmly contradict Donald Trump’s isolationist view of the world, arguing that the best way to resist extremist forces was through close cooperation between countries.
The prime minister repeatedly stressed the central role of united global efforts in battling nuclear and chemical weapons – a pointed contrast to Trump’s isolationist stance when he addressed the main UN assembly on Tuesday. The prime minister, speaking a day after Trump’s address to the UN general assembly explicitly rejected global cooperation in favour of a “doctrine of patriotism”, even delivered a polite if direct rebuke to the US president over his abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal.
May also used the special meeting of the security council – centred on weapons non-proliferation – to warn of potential renewed military action if chemical weapons were again used in Syria. Addressing a special session of the UN security council on weapons proliferation chaired by Trump, she told the president that the deal remained “the best means of preventing Iran developing a nuclear weapon”.
In her main address to the general assembly shortly afterwards, May reiterated her call for transnational cooperation, saying public disillusionment about economic and political systems risked a return to influence for far left and far right ideologies.
“We have to show there is a better way to meet the concerns of our people,” she said. “That way lies in global cooperation between strong and accountable states based on open economies and inclusive societies.”
While Downing Street is adamant that May’s choice of words was not intended to be critical of Trump, whom she was meeting one-to-one in a final engagement before leaving New York on Wednesday evening, the strong language will be seen by many as a counterpoint to Trump’s stark statement to the UN: “We reject the ideology of globalism and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism.”
The prime minister did also say countries must address the worries of “those who feel that the global economy is not working for them”, citing reform of the World Trade Organization as one area where action was needed.
In her security council speech May also warned of potential renewed military action if chemical weapons were again used in Syria.
Russia and other backers of Syria’s government should seek to avoid repeated use of chemical weapons, she said, adding: “For there must be no doubt: we will respond swiftly and appropriately if they are.”Russia and other backers of Syria’s government should seek to avoid repeated use of chemical weapons, she said, adding: “For there must be no doubt: we will respond swiftly and appropriately if they are.”
May also condemned what she said was Russia’s “desperate fabrication” in response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack.May also condemned what she said was Russia’s “desperate fabrication” in response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
The address at the United Nations headquarters in New York came ahead of May speaking at the main session of the UN general assembly, before she then holds a bilateral meeting with Trump. On Iran, May said the long-negotiated international deal on Iran’s nuclear programme, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had been “an important step forward” in addressing worries about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
The long-negotiated international deal over concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had been “an important step forward in addressing these”, May said. She said: “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.”
She added: “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.” Trump announced in May he was breaking with European allies over the Iran deal, and signed an executive order reimposing sanctions on any foreign company that continued to do business with Iran. May has repeatedly and publicly disagreed with Trump over his decision.
Trump announced in May he was breaking with European allies over the Iran deal, and signed an executive order reimposing sanctions on any foreign company that continued to do business with Iran. She praised Trump for his talks with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, saying this had “created a historic opportunity for complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation” on the Korean peninsula.
May has repeatedly and publicly disagreed with Trump over his decision.
She praised Trump for his talks with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying this had “created a historic opportunity for complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation” on the Korean peninsula.
But here, too, she played up the role of international cooperation, saying previous sanctions imposed by the UN “played no small part” in getting Kim to the negotiating table.But here, too, she played up the role of international cooperation, saying previous sanctions imposed by the UN “played no small part” in getting Kim to the negotiating table.
May, in her condemnation of Russia over the novichok attack in Salisbury, said: “We have taken appropriate action, with our allies, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure our collective security. May, in her condemnation of Russia over the novichok attack in Salisbury, said: “We have taken appropriate action, with our allies, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure our collective security. Russia has only sought to obfuscate through desperate fabrication.”
“Russia has only sought to obfuscate through desperate fabrication.”
Moscow should not block efforts by the security council to tackle the use of chemical weapons in Syria, May said, adding: “But if not, we should leave no one in any doubt of the international community’s determination to uphold international non-proliferation regimes.”
More widely, May praised the multilateral treaties on weapons proliferation as “one of the greatest achievements of the international community, demonstrating the value of global cooperation”.More widely, May praised the multilateral treaties on weapons proliferation as “one of the greatest achievements of the international community, demonstrating the value of global cooperation”.
She said: “It has improved all of our security. It has brought a measure of predictability and stability. And it has paved the way to arms control agreements and disarmament.”She said: “It has improved all of our security. It has brought a measure of predictability and stability. And it has paved the way to arms control agreements and disarmament.”
However, May warned, the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Salisbury and in Malaysia – where the half-brother of Kim Jong-un was killed last year by the nerve agent VX – saw the international conventions “being picked at”.
She said: “Predictability and stability are declining. If we do not increase our collective efforts to preserve and build on what we have, there is a very real risk these gains will subside or fall away.”
May ended by again reminding Trump about the benefits of cross-national work: “Mr President, it was collective engagement by states across the globe that produced the counter-proliferation framework.May ended by again reminding Trump about the benefits of cross-national work: “Mr President, it was collective engagement by states across the globe that produced the counter-proliferation framework.
“Even the most powerful recognised that investing in collective rules-based restraint was the only effective way of addressing national security interests and avoiding unilateral recourse to force.”“Even the most powerful recognised that investing in collective rules-based restraint was the only effective way of addressing national security interests and avoiding unilateral recourse to force.”
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United NationsUnited Nations
Iran nuclear dealIran nuclear deal
Theresa MayTheresa May
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
Iran's nuclear programmeIran's nuclear programme
RussiaRussia
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