5/9/2018

ASIA/EU/IRAN/MIDDLE EAST/MIKE POMPEO/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SANCTIONS/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Having returned from North Korea on Thursday [5-10-18], Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will embark on talks to persuade allies in Europe, the Middle East and Asia to press Iran to return to negotiations over its nuclear and missile programs, U.S. officials said. The open question is whether the allies, and above all Iran, will agree to resume full-fledged talks, having just seen the United States withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and renege on its promises under the landmark arms control accord. The U.S. hope is that Iran will be dragged to the table by the resumption of U.S. sanctions – and possibly the imposition of more – which would penalize European and other companies and likely cripple Iran’s oil-driven economy. A senior State Department official said discussions with Britain, France and Germany, as well as Japan, Iraq and Israel on next steps had already taken place since U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled out of the nuclear pact.

-Lesley Wroughton, “Pompeo to press allies on Iran after moves on North Korea: U.S. officials,” Reuters, May 9, 2018 9:05 pm