![U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson addresses the media at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on October 4, 2017. [State Department Photo/ Public Domain]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/37470296892_fd62bae386_o-e1507379809793.jpg "U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson addresses the media at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on October 4, 2017. [State Department Photo/ Public Domain]")
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did not mince words on the U.S.-Iranian relationship during a meeting of all signatories of the Iranian nuclear deal at UN headquarters in late September, Dexter Filkins of The New Yorker reports.
Tillerson reportedly let the foreign minister of each of the six other countries speak first, including Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who angrily protested U.S. sanctions which he claimed were hindering the regime’s economy.
The secretary then calmly delivered a scathing address on the revolutionary regime, saying, “no one can credibly claim that Iran has positively contributed to regional peace and security,” continuing that “lifting the sanctions as required under the terms of the J.C.P.O.A. has enabled Iran’s unacceptable behavior,” using the technical acronym for the nuclear deal.
Tillerson again rebuffed another protest from Zarif that sanctions relief had not come speedy enough to the Islamic republic. “The modern-day U.S.-Iran relationship is now almost forty years old,” adding “It was born out of a revolution, with our Embassy under siege—and we were very badly treated,” Tillerson said.
“The relationship has been defined by violence—against us,” he coldly declared.
Tillerson’s tough stance towards Iran came during an extraordinary UN General Assembly meeting in which President Donald Trump decried the nuclear deal as an “embarrassment” and strongly hinted that he would de-certify it in an upcoming review to the U.S. Congress.
Multiple outlets now report that Trump will de-certify the deal setting the stage for possible confrontation with the regime and other signatories of the deal. Decertification of the deal would trigger a two-month review period by Congress and a possible effort by the Trump administration to convince other parties in the nuclear agreement to try and impose further restrictions on Iran.
WATCH TILLERSON REAFFIRM LOYALTY TO CURRENT WHITE HOUSE:
The main objection of the Trump administration is the deal’s “sunset clause” — the lack of mechanism to deal with Iran’s ballistic missile testing — and its support of violent terrorist organizations across the Middle East. The sunset clause is the eclipse of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear agreements in the 10-15 year period, which would allow it to develop nuclear weapons without any international penalties.
“This deal only makes sense if you assume, contrary to all experience, that Iran will evolve into a lawful, peaceful, law-abiding regime in 10 years,” Republican Sen. Tom Cottonof Arkansas said in a recent speech to the Council On Foreign Relations.
Follow Saagar Enjeti on Twitter
Send tips tosaagar@dailycallernewsfoundation.org
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.