The energy secretary said Iran 'could pay a very dear price economically' but added that Trump is 'not interested in going to war.'
President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly on September 24 in New York CityA Saudi-led coalition, backed by the U.S. despite significant bipartisan opposition, has been fighting against the Houthis in Yemen since 2015. With Iran's support the Houthis ousted the Yemeni government from the capital, Sanaa, in 2015 and have taken control of a large portion of their country. The conflict has led to a massive humanitarian crisis, famine and a cholera outbreak.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been high for decades, but the situation temporarily improved following the signing of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , known commonly as the Iran nuclear deal. The international treaty was signed by Trump's predecessor former President Barack Obama, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China and Russia. It offered Iran relief from international sanctions in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear program.
Trump withdrew from the agreement last May, despite consistent reports from the United Nations nuclear watchdog showing that Iran was abiding by its commitments under the deal. That changed this summer, as Iranian leaders announced that they would begin stepping back from their promises due to Trump's decision to reimplement sanctions and the treaty's other signatories failing to live up to their commitments of financial support and investment.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speak after a meeting at the United Nations headquarters on September 23 in New YorkFrench President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders have opposed Trump's hardline position against Iran. Macron has been attempting to find a path forward to de-escalate tensions and salvage the 2015 deal. However, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Macron's efforts Tuesday.
"[The] French President's efforts will only be effective if sanctions imposed by Trump against Iran ... are lifted," Rouhani said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, which he is also attending, Iran's Islamic Republican News Agency
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