Merkel slams Trump for ‘harming’ global order

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor has slammed U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday over his unilateral move to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

“I believe that it’s not right to unilaterally cancel an accord that was voted and unanimously approved at the UN Security Council. That damages trust in the international order,” Chancellor Angela Merkel said at an international conference in the northern German city of Munster.

She said the agreement between world powers and Iran was “far from being ideal” but was an important compromise reached after 12 years of negotiations.

Trump on Tuesday claimed that Iran had lied about its nuclear program and pulled the U.S. out of the landmark deal that world powers struck in 2015.

The U.S. president also accused Tehran for destabilizing the region with “sinister activities” in Syria, Yemen, and other places around the world.

While reaffirming Germany’s commitment to the nuclear deal with Iran, Merkel sharply criticized Tehran on Friday over its stance against Israel, its ballistic missiles program and its activities in Syria.

Earlier on Thursday, German Chancellor proposed new talks with Iran on these disputed issues, in a phone call with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani.

Her spokesman said in a statement: “The Chancellor spoke in favor of holding talks in an extended format with the states involved and Iran on its ballistic missiles program and activities in the region, such as those in Syria and Yemen.”