Solar Energy News  
NUKEWARS
Iran poses first big test for 'British Trump' Johnson
By Dmitry ZAKS
London (AFP) July 25, 2019

Pompeo, Raab discuss 'key global priorities' in call
Washington (AFP) July 25, 2019 - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed "key global priorities," including relations with Iran, in a phone call with his newly appointed British counterpart Dominic Raab, the State Department said Thursday.

"Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab today to discuss key global priorities, including countering Iran's attempts to expand its nuclear program," said State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus.

She did not mention whether the conversation touched on increased tensions with Tehran over Iran's detention of a British-flagged tanker on July 19 in the Strait of Hormuz.

The seizure has been seen as a tit-for-tat move after British authorities detained an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar earlier this month on suspicion it was shipping oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions.

Although Trump has adopted a "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran this year, his administration has made clear the tanker is primarily London's issue.

New British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's approach to handling the crisis will be under close scrutiny. It is unclear whether Johnson, who took office Wednesday, will adopt the same hardline approach to Iran as Trump.

In May 2018, while serving as foreign secretary under former prime minister Theresa May, Johnson went to Washington to try to persuade Trump not to abandon the Iran nuclear deal.

He now hopes to seal a trade deal with the US to compensate for a no-deal Brexit.

Ortagus added that Pompeo and Raab discussed "strengthening the NATO Alliance" during their call, an organization that President Donald Trump has previously criticized.

"We value our close ties with the United Kingdom as we work together to address the world's security challenges," Pompeo tweeted.

Next week, Pompeo will attend a gathering in Thailand for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as meetings with officials in Australia and Micronesia.

Iran's detention of a UK-flagged tanker presents new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with an early leadership test -- does he side with the US "maximum pressure" campaign against the Islamic republic or back EU efforts to salvage its nuclear pact.

Which way Johnson leans could set the tone for a complex agenda that includes withdrawing from the European Union and establishing much closer trade relations with the United States.

Some US commentators even see this is a make-or-break moment that might vindicate President Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal and seek one curbing Tehran's broader activities in the Middle East as a whole.

"Johnson could simply announce that the UK is joining America's maximum-pressure campaign and calls for a new (Iran) deal," the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal wrote.

"The rest of Europe would likely have no choice but to join its Anglophone partners -- and finally present a united front."

- Naval escorts -

Britain responded to the tanker's seizure last Friday by proposing a European-led naval escort mission for the world's busiest shipping lane.

Such an operation could expose Britain's reliance on EU allies at the very same time that Johnson is determined to yank his country out of the bloc on October 31.

Johnson's other option is to sign Britain up to a US-led alliance outlined by Trump's administration at NATO last month.

That decision could boost London's chances of reviving stalled efforts to strike a post-Brexit trade deal with Washington.

The downside risk is that British warships could be caught up in more aggressive US rules of engagement that London currently does not support.

Johnson's spokesman on Thursday condemned Iran's seizure of the tanker as an "illegal act" and said the government was focused on securing the release of the Stena Impero and its crew.

"What we're working on in relation to Iran is de-escalating current tensions," the spokesman said.

The government also announced a decision for the navy to accompany UK-flagged tankers through the Strait of Hormuz "should sufficient notice be given of their passage".

- Bridge between EU and US? -

A more long-term response could emerge from a conference the US Central Command (CENTCOM) is hosting this week at which Britain and the interested Europeans will discuss coordination between the two convoy plans.

New US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he expected them to be "complementary" and coordinated by the Pentagon.

"CENTCOM will be the coordinating authority," Esper said Wednesday.

British officials have not said whether -- or on what terms -- they were willing to accept US oversight.

But Iran is already seething at both foreign escort proposals and the friendship that Johnson and Trump played up during the UK leadership race.

Tehran's ultra-conservative Resaalat newspaper published a cartoon Wednesday of Johnson as a British butler being patted on the head by Trump in the Oval Office.

"British Trump," the banner of the reformist Sazandegi said.

Centre for European Reform foreign policy director Ian Bond said Trump should theoretically welcome European burden-sharing in the Gulf.

"Based on the fact that Trump is always complaining about how little the Europeans do for their own defence, he ought actually to think that it was a good thing that the Europeans were taking care of this," Bond told AFP.

Bond said the mooted inclusion of non-EU members such as Norway would also provide "a practical implementation of what (former premier) Theresa May was saying -- that we are leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe".

But Chatham House's Middle East researcher Sanam Vakil advised Britain's new leader to "avoid the temptation to align completely with Washington on Iran".

"Rather than conflating the ships and the nuclear crisis, a direct UK-Iran bilateral negotiation on the tankers could provide both sides with a face-saving outcome," Vakil wrote.

"The UK could position itself as a bridge between the EU and US, and in the process boost its post-Brexit relevance," she said.


Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


NUKEWARS
Iran hints open to possible tanker swap, nuclear talks
Tehran (AFP) July 24, 2019
President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Wednesday that Iran is open to a possible tanker swap with Britain and indirect talks with the United States over its nuclear programme and sanctions. "We don't want tensions with some European countries," Rouhani said in comments to a cabinet meeting posted on the official website of his government. In a clear reference to the British, Rouhani said if they were to "cease the incorrect acts that they have done, including that of Gibraltar, Iran's response would ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

NUKEWARS
Research shows black plastics could create renewable energy

Vampire algae killer's genetic diversity poses threat to biofuels

Left out to dry: A more efficient way to harvest algae biomass

Symbiotic upcycling: Turning 'low value' compounds into biomass

NUKEWARS
Kitchen disruption: better food through artificial intelligence

A squeaky clean: friendly robots spruce up Singapore

Robot-ants that can jump, communicate with each other and work together

With Squad X, dismounted units partner with AI to dominate battlespace

NUKEWARS
Kenya launches Africa's biggest wind farm

Stanford study shows how to improve production at wind farms

Windmill protesters placed on Dutch terror list

Can sound protect eagles from wind turbine collisions?

NUKEWARS
China's BAIC takes 5% stake in Daimler: German carmaker

GM's Cruise delays launch of robo-taxis

Car boom brings gridlock misery to 'green and happy' Bhutan

'Smartphone zombie' halts Vienna driverless bus test

NUKEWARS
Harvesting energy from the human knee

A new material for the battery of the future, made in UCLouvain

Materials scientists uncover source of degradation in sodium batteries

Green light for a new generation of dynamic materials

NUKEWARS
UN nuclear watchdog to start search for new chief

UN nuclear watchdog chief Amano dies at 72

US hits Iran 'nuclear enrichment network' with sanctions

IAEA head to step down next year on health grounds: diplomats

NUKEWARS
Global warming = more energy use = more warming

Big energy discussion 'scrubbed from record' at UN climate talks

New York to get one of world's most ambitious carbon reduction plans

Wartsila and Summit sign Bangladesh's biggest ever service agreement to maintain Summit's 464 MW power plants

NUKEWARS
Finland's UPM to go ahead with $3 bn pulp plant in Uruguay

Rare footage of Brazil tribe threatened by loggers: activists

Joshua trees facing extinction

Iceland tries to bring back trees razed by the Vikings









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.