Trump backs G7 leaders’ call for wider talks on Iranian missile programme

Donald Trump has backed a joint G7 leaders’ statement that welcomes the deal he has struck with Iran but says a follow-on agreement is necessary to rein in Iran’s ballistic missile programme, an issue not directly addressed in the memorandum of understanding that is due to be signed on Friday by Iran and the US. The statement says future negotiations with Iran would benefit from the involvement of a wider group of regional and international actors including the UN nuclear weapons agency, the IAEA. Trump is facing severe criticism including from some of his domestic supporters for conducting a war against Iran that has ended in a negotiated deal that has met hardly any of its original objectives. He is due to attend a banquet in Versailles on Wednesday evening to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. Trump said ahead of the dinner: “Versailles is not just gold-plated. It’s the real deal.” The proposal for further talks involving European leaders about Iran’s ballistic missiles and support for proxy forces is bound to be rejected by Iran. Tehran has been negotiating exclusively with the US and regards Europe as largely irrelevant. Iran is also likely to reject France and Britain’s plan for a taskforce to escort ships through the strait of Hormuz, a proposal endorsed in the G7 leaders’ statement. On Ukraine , the G7 leaders hailed the battlefield momentum and called for fresh pressure against Russia through sanctions and additional arms deliveries to Kyiv. …