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British foreign secretary Boris Johnson has urged President Trump not to give up on the Iran nuclear deal, saying ‘at this delicate juncture it would be a mistake to walk away’.
Johnson is in Washington to persuade the US president to remain a part of the international accord.
The deal saw Iran agree to limit its nuclear activities in return for the easing of sanctions on its economy, says a BBC report.
The UK and its European allies have until 12 May to persuade Trump to stick with the deal.
Trump has strongly criticised the agreement, which he calls ‘insane’.
Britain, France and Germany have been working behind the scenes for weeks in an effort to preserve the deal, which was orchestrated under the Obama administration, and includes Russia and China as signatories.
‘Handcuffs are in place’
Writing in the New York Times, Johnson argued ‘only Iran would gain’ from abandoning nuclear restrictions.
“Of all the options we have for ensuring that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon, this pact offers the fewest disadvantages,” he wrote.
“It has weaknesses, certainly, but I am convinced they can be remedied.”
“Indeed at this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are.”
Johnson said the deal had put restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme and “now that these handcuffs are in place, I see no possible advantage in casting them aside”.
He added: “The wisest course would be to improve the handcuffs rather than break them.”
While in Washington, Johnson will meet US Vice-President Mike Pence, National Security Adviser John Bolton and foreign policy leaders in Congress.
He will not meet President Trump, but is expected to appear on the Fox & Friends morning news, which Trump is known to watch avidly.
Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have lobbied Trump directly in recent weeks.
The UN also warned Trump not to walk away from the deal.
But Trump has threatened to withdraw unless the signatories agree to ‘fix the deal’s disastrous flaws’. The president believes the terms of the agreement are too lenient.