President Donald Trump told U.S. allies in Europe not to worry about aggressive sanctions the United States could put on Iran.
In fact, Trump says he told his Britain’s Theresa May and France’s Emmanuel Macron to ‘take all the money you can get’ from Tehran.
‘Actually, Emmanuel called up, and he talked to me. And I said, look, Emmanuel, they just gave Renault a lot of money. Take their money; enjoy yourselves,’ Trump said.
President Donald Trump told U.S. allies in Europe not to worry about aggressive sanctions the United States could put on Iran
Renault entered into a multimillion-dollar automobile deal with Iran in August just after a new sanctions regime was approved by the U.S. Congress.
The $780 million agreement is seemingly allowed under the 2015 nuclear pact, according to New York Times reporting. It would be only be a violation of U.S. rules if Congress introduce snap-back sanctions on Tehran.
Trump opened up the door to congressional action on Friday when he said he could not certify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear agreement. U.S. law gives Congress 60 days to decide whether it will reimpose sanctions that were lifted when the deal was negotiated or do nothing.
A third option, one that the administration is pursuing, would make sanctions on Iran automatic if they violate an arrangement that’s not yet been detailed.
Capitol Hill had mixed responses to Trump’s announcement on Friday that did not necessarily break down along party lines when it came to the issue of nuclear sanctions.
Trump did not encourage lawmakers to break the deal by slapping them back on and seemed to suggest in a Friday afternoon back and forth with press that he doesn’t believe it will happen.
The president proclaimed, without any prodding, that countries like France with major business in Iran should continue to do whatever they want. I say to them: Don’t do anything. Don’t worry about it. Take all the money you can get’
The president proclaimed, without any prodding, that countries like France with major business in Iran should continue to do whatever they want.
Asked very simply if he’d spoken to May or Macron, Trump said that he had.
‘They would love me to stay in, only for one reason: Look at the kind of money that’s being sent,’ Trump stated.
‘You know, Iran is spending money in various countries. And I’ve always said it, and I say to them: Don’t do anything. Don’t worry about it. Take all the money you can get. They’re all friends of mine.’
Trump brought up his conversation with Macron, which may have occurred when they were on the phone last week on Friday, and his directive to the French leader to enjoy the boon in business.
‘We’ll see what happens,’ Trump added. ‘Iran has to behave much differently.’
Renault isn’t the only French company with major money tied up in deals with Iran. French oil giant Total SA entered into a $5 billion deal with Tehran in July.
The deal allows Total to develop a gas field in the Gulf alongside China’s state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. Total has the largest stake in the deal at 50.1 percent.