Germany: ending Iran deal would be setback for curbing nuclear arms

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said a move by the United States to abandon the Iranian nuclear deal would discourage other powers such as North Korea from participating in international negotiations to end their own nuclear programs.

Speaking on the sidelines of a United Nations meeting, Gabriel said world powers had every interest in maintaining the 2015 deal and much work would be needed in coming weeks to ensure it remained in force.

“It’s an almost tragic situation where the only existing agreement to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons is in jeopardy at a time when we are seeing other countries like North Korea acquiring nuclear weapons and we need such processes more than ever,” Reuters cited Gabriel as saying.