Tag: Mohammad Javad Zarif

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani still needs to accept Zarif's resignation. While President Donald Trump has withdrawn the United States from the nuclear accord, Zarif, 59, had been working closely with European nations to keep the deal alive in some form. His departure throws that cooperation into question. "I sincerely apologize for the incapacity to continue serving and all the shortcomings during the service," Zarif wrote on Instagram in a somewhat strangely worded resignation. "While Zarif is not above criticism, over the past forty years, the U.S. and Iran have had few clear channels for negotiations, and Zarif has long been a major proponent of U.S.-Iran negotiations and deescalation. "Hardliners in the U.S. have long cheered for Iran to be led by radical elements to make engagement difficult and validate calls for sanctions and military action. More: Trump-Kim summit: Trump hints at economic rewards for North Korea Following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the accord, the White House re-imposed economic sanctions on Iran last year. As Iranians braced for the full restoration of those sanctions in November, Zarif told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview that his government would be open to talking to the U.S. about a new nuclear arms accord if Washington changed its approach to the deal it exited. Zarif hinted in the interview that Iran's government was waiting to see whether Trump would be a one-term president before deciding to completely abandon the nuclear agreement. European nations, led by France and Germany, are trying to launch a financial mechanism to enable Iran to keep trading with some nations despite the U.S. sanctions.

Today in 5 Lines President Trump defended his pick for veterans affairs secretary, Ronny Jackson, but hinted that Jackson might withdraw from consideration after a Senate panel postponed his confirmation hearing amid allegations of misconduct. Alek Minassian, the man accused of plowing a van into pedestrians in Toronto on Monday, was charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that his country would likely abandon the Iran nuclear deal should the United States withdraw. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt proposed a controversial rule establishing new standards for the research that can be used to write agency regulations. The meal will consist of goat cheese gateau, rack of lamb, and jambalaya. The Race We’re Watching Voters in Arizona’s 8th congressional district are heading to the polls to choose a replacement for Republican Representative Trent Franks, who resigned in December amid reports of sexual misconduct. It’s not likely that Tipirneni will win here, but if she can come close, Democrats are planning to call it a victory. Polls close at 7 p.m. PT, 10 p.m. Today on The Atlantic The Most Expensive ACA Insurance in the U.S.: Charlottesville residents were forced to look for their own solutions when health-insurance premiums started to spike. But their homegrown fixes aren’t necessarily sustainable—especially for a problem that could happen anywhere.