Top U.S. national security experts have signed a letter released on Monday urging President Donald Trump’s administration not to jeopardise the international nuclear deal with Iran.
Retired U.S. military officers, members of Congress and former U.S. ambassadors were among the 52 U.S. national security experts who signed the letter organised by the National Coalition to Prevent an Iranian Nuclear Weapon.
Trump faces deadlines related to the deal starting late this week, including deciding whether to re-impose oil sanctions lifted under the 2015 agreement.
He will make the decision as Iran’s government deals with protests over economic hardships and corruption.
Signatories to the letter include Richard Lugar, a former Republican Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Paul O‘Neill, who served as Treasury Secretary under Republican President George W. Bush.
Others are: Michael Hayden, Former Director of the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency and Adm. Eric Olson, Former Commander of Special Forces.
The letter quotes the signatories as saying “we support the rights of Iranian citizens to free speech and peaceful protest and we condemn the use of force against peaceful demonstrations.
“In responding to developments in Iran, now and in the future, the U.S. should be careful not to take any steps that might undermine the JCPOA (nuclear agreement) which remains vital to U.S. national security.’’ (Reuters/NAN)