U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at Iran Wednesday while chairing a U.N. Security Council meeting on nonproliferation, saying that the sanctions Washington plans to impose on the Islamic republic over its nuclear program and interference in the Middle East will be "tougher than ever before."
Trump defended his administration's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear accord inked between Tehran and world powers, calling it "a horrible, one-sided deal [that] allowed Iran to continue its path toward a [nuclear] bomb and gave the regime a cash lifeline when they needed it the most."
He argued that since the deal was signed "Iran's aggression only increased" saying that the funds released as a result of easing previous sanctions had been used "to support terrorism, build nuclear-capable missiles and foment chaos."
Addressing the council, Trump asserted that Iran, which "exports violence, terror and turmoil" must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear arsenal.
Iran "illicitly procures sensitive items to advance its ballistic missile program and proliferates these missiles all across the Middle East," Trump said. "The regime is the world's leading sponsor of terror and fuels conflict across the region and far beyond. A regime with this track record must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon."
The American president urged the members of the U.N. Security Council to work with the United States to ensure that Iran changes its ways.
Until this happens, he said, the U.S. "will pursue additional sanctions, tougher than ever before, to counter the entire range of Iran's malign conduct."
Trump warned that "any individual or entity who fails to comply with these sanctions will face severe consequences."
He also trained his sights on Syria, Iran and Russia, saying that the "Syrian regime's butchery" was enabled by Tehran and Moscow.
While he thanked the three for "substantially slowing down their attack on Idlib province," he warned, "Get the terrorists, but I hope the restraint continues. The world is watching."
Speaking at the meeting, French President Emanuel Macron, who backs the 2015 deal, called for a "long-term strategy."
"I agree with the goals of the president of the U.S., even if we disagree over the nuclear deal, but I think we need to build together a long-term strategy and it [the debate] can't just boil down to sanctions and containment," he told the Security Council.
He later told reporters that "perhaps because we [the EU signatories to the deal] are able to maintain this deal, avoid the worst and act as a mediator, while U.S. sanctions create pressure and reduce the amount of money available for Iranian expansionism, that can accelerate the process we want."
However, Macron warned that unlike North Korea, Iran was not ruled by one dictator and die-hard elements were determined to kill the nuclear deal.
"The main risk of the pressure strategy is that it pushes Iran to restart its nuclear activities. … So if we want a chance for this pressure on Iran to produce results, then we need to make sure it doesn't opt for the worst option."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani did not ask to address the Security Council. He later told reporters, "As long as the deal serves our interests, we will remain in it. The remaining members of the deal have taken very good steps forward, but Iran has higher expectations."
He expressed confidence that "the United States of America one day, sooner or later, will come back [to the deal]. This cannot be continued."
He reiterated that no nation could be brought to the negotiating table by force.
"What Iran says is clear: No war, no sanctions, no threats, no bullying. Just acting according to the law and the fulfillment of obligations," he said.
