US, Iran trade barbs at meeting of UN nuclear watchdog
The United States and Iran traded barbs over
Tehran’s nuclear activities as the International Atomic Energy Agency’s general
conference got underway in Vienna.
Reading a note from U.S. President Donald Trump,
Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Monday that Washington “will continue to apply
maximum pressure both diplomatically and economically to deny Iran any pathway
to a nuclear weapon.”
The U.S. last year pulled out unilaterally from the
2015 deal with Iran that promised it economic incentives in exchange for curbs
on its atomic activities, and has instituted new sanctions that have been
hurting the Iranian economy.
Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s nuclear program,
slammed the move, saying “the destructive behavior of the US administration and
the economic terrorism pursued by it against other countries should be
condemned and rejected.”
