Russia rebukes Trump over Iran, North Korea, accuses U.S. of missile treaty breach

September 21, 2017

Reuters:

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia is “extremely concerned” by U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments questioning the Iran nuclear deal and suspects that Washington itself may have violated a landmark arms control treaty, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Lavrov’s comments, made to Russian reporters at the United Nations in New York and published by his ministry on Wednesday, illustrate how deeply Moscow and Washington are at odds over an array of issues and suggest any attempts to improve already battered relations face an uphill struggle.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump said Iran’s 2015 pact with six world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for loosening economic sanctions was “an embarrassment to the United States”. Washington could not abide by an agreement “if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear program,” Trump said.

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