EU says it will stick to Iran rapprochement despite Trump’s criticism

The US president-elect has raised the prospect that America will pull out of the nuclear deal with Tehran, calling it a 'disaster'.

BRUSSELS // The European Union said on Monday it would keep pushing to restore ties with Iran in line with last year’s nuclear deal, which US president-elect Donald Trump has said he will rescind.

Mr Trump has raised the prospect that the United States will pull out of the pact, calling it a “disaster” and “the worst deal ever negotiated” during campaigning for the White House, although he has conceded it would be hard to destroy a deal enshrined in a United Nations resolution.

The deal curbs Iran’s nuclear programme in return for the easing of Western sanctions and came after years of standoff and growing fears in the West that Iran was seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

“The European Union reiterates its resolute commitment to the [Iran nuclear deal],” the bloc’s foreign ministers said in a statement in Brussels. “The European Union is committed to support the full and effective implementation ... by the lifting of nuclear related economic and financial sanctions and engaging with the private sector and economic operators, especially banks, to promote growth in trade and investment.”

Despite concerns over human rights in Iran, the bloc is seeking to open a diplomatic mission there and senior EU officials have visited for talks on issues from trade and investment to migration and humanitarian aid.

But Tehran complains restoring business ties with the West is moving too slowly, in large part because the United States has kept in place many of its sanctions restricting Iran’s access to the international banking and financial system.

EU foreign ministers also debated on Monday ambitious plans to boost the bloc’s military role, amid fears Mr Trump’s election jeopardises Washington’s historic security guarantee.

Mr Trump has shocked Europe by casting doubt over US commitments to Nato unless European allies increase defence spending, sparking calls for the European Union to press ahead on its own.

Britain has long opposed any such plans as undermining Nato, but after its shock June Brexit vote, France and Germany jumped in with plans to boost defence cooperation that have now gained extra urgency with Mr Trump’s election victory.

Ensconced at his Trump Tower headquarters in Manhattan since his shock election, Mr Trump and his inner circle were again working on Monday to shape his new administration.

Mr Trump has already made his first call to the leader of China, said Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager.

Mr Trump, who frequently savaged China on the campaign trail and threatened to impose a 45 per cent tariff on Chinese-made goods, spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping late on Sunday.

He told Mr Xi he believes they will have “one of the strongest relationships for both countries moving forward,”and agreed to meet “at an early date” to discuss the relationship.

More cabinet-level appointments will be rolled out this week, Ms Conway said.

His first two appointments came on Sunday – the former Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus is his White House chief of staff, and anti-establishment media firebrand Steve Bannon will be his chief strategist.

The appointment of Mr Bannon -- the chief of ultra-conservative Breitbart News -- has raised hackles, with Jewish and Muslim leaders expressing concerns about Mr Bannon, who has championed the so-called “alt-right” perspective.

“Getting his arms around foreign policy” was one of Mr Trump’s four top priorities, along with health care, immigration and taxes, as he prepares for his first 100 days as president, said Mr Priebus.

“I see president-elect Trump being very calm and cool and collected. And prepared to lead the American people,” said Mr Priebus, seen as an establishment counter-weight to Mr Bannon, on ABC’s Good Morning America.

Mr Trump has said he was “saddened” by reports of harassment of Hispanics and Muslims, and told the perpetrators: “Stop it.”

But huge street demonstrations have continued every night in New York and other cities since the election in which Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the all-important electoral vote.

As he seeks to calm the turbulence, Trump has softened some stances and offered assurances on others -- indicating he would keep some aspects of Obamacare and would not seek to overturn the legalization of same-sex marriage.

* Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Associated Press