- Title: Tillerson: Iran violating spirit of nuclear deal
- Date: 1st August 2017
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (AUGUST 1, 2017) (STATE TV) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON WALKING UP TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON, SAYING: "But there is another part of that agreement that talks about the fact that with this agreement Iran will become a good neighbor. Now, I am paraphrasing a lot of language - that they will become a good neighbor - that Iran is called upon to no longer develop its ballistic missiles. There's a lot of things that people expected would happen in agreeing to this arrangement on the nuclear program, including all the benefits that Iran would get up front." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON, SAYING: "And I think the general view, and I would not just say ours - the view of many others is that Iran has not been a good neighbor in the region. It has not stopped its ballistic missile program, and so the spirit of the agreement has been violated. Now, how do we want to translate that into what does that mean? If we say the spirit of the agreement has been violated. Do we want to tear it up and walk away? Do we want to make the point to Iran that we expect you to get back in line with the spirit of the agreement? And we are going to stay here and hold you accountable to it? I think there are a lot of alternative means by which we use the agreement to advance our policies and the relationship with Iran. And that's what the conversation is in general around with the president as well - which is what are all those options?" REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON, SAYING: "We come on to the scene and say you know, that agreement does not speak to a lot of the problems we have with Iran. So, I don't want people to think that's what defines either the relationship or policy with Iran is the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), Iran continues these efforts is persistent in these efforts to exert their influence across the Middle East, and it is our intent working with our allies in the region to push back on Iran's expansionist efforts to destabilize areas, particularly Yemen, Iraq, Syria - but we also see them in the areas of Afghanistan." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON, SAYING: "The direct presence of Iranian military forces inside of Syria - they must leave and go home - whether those are Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces or whether those are paid militias, foreign fighters that Iran has brought into Syria - in this battle. Those are our two end state conditions and those are shared by many of our coalition partners the world over." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION TILLERSON LEAVING PODIUM
- Embargoed: 15th August 2017 20:27
- Keywords: Iran U.S. Tillerson State Department Secretary of State
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SBTDFR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday (August 1) that Iran is violating the spirit of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal.
The deal struck with Iran by the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany is aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon by imposing time-limited restrictions and strict international monitoring on its nuclear program. In return, Tehran won relief from punishing international economic sanctions. - Copyright Holder: STATE DEPARTMENT TV
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