Russia slams US demands for Iran; Germany seeks more detail

He particularly noted that the dismantling of the Iran nuclear deal would discourage North Korea from negotiating any future agreement to abandon its nuclear and missile programs.

“We will not support what the U.S. is trying to do — to change the text of the agreement to include things, which are absolutely unacceptable for Iran,” Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow.

Trump said he would work with European allies to remove so-called sunset clauses that allow Iran to gradually resume advanced nuclear activities in the next decade. He paired Friday’s concession with other, targeted sanctions on Iran for human rights abuses and ballistic missile development.

Iran warned Saturday that it won’t accept any changes to the nuclear deal. The Europeans have indicated they are willing to discuss the matter with Washington, but have shown little enthusiasm with Trump’s hard line.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, stressed Monday that Berlin stands by the nuclear deal. He said that Germany would analyze the situation with its European partners.

German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr said officials would sit down with the Americans and “see what goal and request exactly Mr. Trump’s comments contain.” She said that Trump’s statement appeared to have been directed “first and foremost to his own Congress.”

The 2015 nuclear pact with Iran involved the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia.

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Geir Moulson reported from Berlin.

Vladimir Isachenkov And Geir Moulson, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Russia slams US demands for Iran; Germany seeks more detail

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