Pence criticizes EU nations for Iran dealings

Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday urged America’s allies in Europe to join the United States in pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal. During a two-day conference on the Middle East that began Wednesday in Warsaw, Poland, Pence sharply criticized Britain, France, and Germany for maintaining the 2015 agreement. He accused the nations of trying to subvert U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran since President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in May 2018. “Sadly, some of our leading European partners have not been nearly as cooperative,” Pence said. “In fact, they have led the effort to create mechanisms to break up our sanctions.”

Around 60 nations attended the conference, but some European Union nations, including France and Germany, did not send any diplomats to protest the handling of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. On Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei denounced the United States, saying that negotiating with the country would be like “going on your knees before the enemy and kissing the claws of the wolf.”