'Trump deal' should replace Iran nuclear accord, says Boris Johnson

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suggested that the Iran nuclear deal should be "replaced" with a Donald Trump version of agreement, throwing his support behind Washington in the wake of deepening cracks in the relationship with Iran.

The UK prime minister said he understood US concerns that the 2015 deal was "flawed" and insisted there had to be a way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

This appears to be the end of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which has been dead in the water for some time now despite efforts by the EU and Russia to keep it alive.

"If we're going to get rid [of it] we need a replacement," he told BBC Breakfast. "Let's replace it with a Trump deal."

Johnson's comments come as France, Russia and other European powers scrambled to protect the existing nuclear deal, with French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin, sharing a phone call that expressed their mutual support of the agreement.

However, fears of the deal's total collapse are growing following weeks of hostilities between the US and Iran and its announcements that it would no longer stick to restrictions on uranium enrichment or the numbers or types of centrifuges it can operate.

Johnson signed a joint statement with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Macron in which they pledged to work together to get the deal back from the brink.

Twitter Post

Boris doesn't appear to be phased by the deal's death rattle. "From the American perspective, it's a flawed agreement, it expires, plus it was negotiated by President Obama - from their point of view it has many, many faults," he said.

The British PM said he would support a Trump-led plan.

"Well, if we're going to get rid of it, let's replace it and let’s replace it with the Trump deal. That's what we need to see. I think that would be a great way forward - President Trump is a great deal maker," he said.

"Let’s work together to replace the JCPOA and the Trump deal instead, that’s the opportunity."

During the extensive BBC interview, Johnson talked about Trump's decision to assassinate Iran military commander Qasem Soleimani without consulting him despite the potential risk to British troops based in Iraq.

"This was not our operation," he insisted. "There was no reason for us to be told."