Ex-IAEA chief blasts US for carrot & stick policy towards Iran

Former Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammed El-Baradei cautioned US President Donald Trump to avoid exercising his Korea policy on Iran, reiterating that Iran would never sit at the negotiating table under threats.

"You cannot renege on a (2015 nuclear) deal considered by all as a keystone, threaten the country, humiliate its leaders and then impulsively call for talks," El-Baradei wrote on his twitter page on Tuesday.

"Agreements are based on trust, mutual accommodation and respect, not intimidation and threats," he underlined.

The former UN nuclear watchdog chief also said that the approach Washington used in talks with North Korea is not a good model for negotiations with Iran.

His remarks came after Trump said on Monday that he would “certainly meet” Iranian president Hassan Rouhani without preconditions, a move that was later rejected by Trump’s own administration.

Speaking during a joint news conference with Italy’s prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, Trump said he would meet Iran “anytime they want to”. “I’ll meet with anybody,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with meeting.”

Asked whether he would set any preconditions, Trump was clear. “No preconditions, no. If they want to meet, I’ll meet any time they want,” he said. “Good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world. No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet.”

After the comment, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared to contradict Trump, listing preconditions that had to be met first.

EA