Envoy: US seeking missile, nuclear treaty with Iran

The United States special envoy for Iran said Wednesday that the U.S. is seeking a deal to cover ballistic missile and nuclear programs ahead of next week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, according to Reuters.

Brian Hook said at an event at the Hudson Institute that the U.S. wants to negotiate a treaty this time around.

{mosads}“The new deal that we hope to be able to sign with Iran, and it will not be a personal agreement between two governments like the last one, we seek a treaty,” the envoy told the audience.

President Trump announced in May that his administration would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal established by then-President Obama in 2015 via an executive agreement.

Unlike the 2015 deal, a new agreement in the form of a treaty would require ratification by the Senate. 

“They did not have the votes in the U.S. Senate so they found the votes in the U.N. Security Council,” Hook said. “That is insufficient in our system of government if you want to have something enduring and sustainable.” 

In August, Trump reimposed sanctions that were lifted as a condition of the 2015 nuclear deal. 

“As we continue applying maximum economic pressure on the Iranian regime, I remain open to reaching a more comprehensive deal that addresses the full range of the regime’s malign activities, including its ballistic missile program and its support for terrorism,” Trump said in a statement after reimposing the sanctions. “The United States welcomes the partnership of likeminded nations in these efforts.”