Iran warns North Korea of the U.S. backtracking on denuclearization deal

Still stinging from Washington’s abrupt withdrawal from the Obama-era nuclear pact with Iran in May, Tehran lashed out Tuesday, warning Pyongyang it may just another pawn in the Trump administration’s feckless foreign policy and national security objectives.

In its first statements since the conclusion of a landmark summit between Mr. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Iranian leaders cautioned that any denuclearization agreement reached between Washington and Pyongyang could be nullified on a whim by the White House.

“We are facing a person who backtracks from his signature as he travels on a plane. I do not know with whom the North Korean leader is negotiating,” said Iranian government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, referring to Mr. Trump’s reneging on the joint statement by the G-7 — the economic consortium between Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — shortly after departing the group’s summit in Quebec last week.

During Tuesday’s briefing, Mr. Nobakht drew a parallel between that decision and the administration’s choice to pull out of the nuclear pact with Iran — known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JPCoA — in May and reinstate harsh economic and political sanctions against Tehran.

“This person is not a wise representative for the U.S.,” he said, taking a direct shot at Mr. Trump during Tuesday’s press conference in Tehran, Iranian state news outlet Fars News reported. Tehran is continuing to engage with other European nations who were party to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, in an attempt to keep elements of the pact alive, Mr. Nobakht said.

“We have decided to hold negotiations in a short period of time … and to keep Iran under the deal, the other side should comply with its undertakings.” he noted.

Mr. Nobakht’s comments on Washington’s lack of commitment were a far cry from the message of unity and cooperation coming from recent talks in Singapore between the U.S. and North Korea.

During the summit, North Korea pledged to “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” including the halt of North Korea’s ballistic missile test program, the destruction of a nuclear test site and a commitment to dismantle a missile engine test

In exchange, Mr. Trump abruptly agreed to cancel joint military drills with South Korea, praising the progress made between the two historic adversaries.

“We are prepared to start a new history, and we are prepared to write a new chapter between our nations,” he told reporters at the summit site at Capella Hotel.

But American military officials at the Pentagon or U.S. Forces-Korea say they have received no guidance on the cancellation of the exercises.

“The Department of Defense continues to work with the White House, the interagency, and our allies and partners on the way forward following the [Trump/Kim] summit. We will provide additional information as it becomes available,” Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Logan said Tuesday.

Pentagon leaders have largely stayed on the sidelines in the run up to the Singapore talks, but Defense Secretary James N. Mattis said Monday there would be no consideration given to a partial drawdown or full withdrawal of the 28,000 U.S. troops stationed on the Korean peninsula.

“That would be a discussion between two democracies,” the Pentagon chief said, referring to the U.S. and Seoul, noting the issue is “not something other countries would have initial domain over.”