US Sen. Rand Paul to help with Iran negotiations: Trump
US
President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that Sen. Rand Paul is involved in
diplomatic talks with Iran, referring to the country as “nothing but trouble.”
The
Kentucky Republican has long been an opponent of US intervention in Iran.
POLITICO reported earlier this week that he asked for Trump’s blessing to
arrange a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in hopes
of avoiding further conflict with the country.
Trump
had previously said he was unaware of plans to include Paul in talks with Iran.
But he acknowledged the senator's role Friday in response to a question about
the administration’s plan to calm tensions following Iran's seizure of a
British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Rand
asked me if he could get involved,” Trump said told reporters. “The answer is
yes.”
This
week, Zarif criticized US foreign policies and told reporters during his visit
to the United Nations headquarters in New York that the onus is on the United
States to ease tensions with Iran. He said Iran would be open to more enhanced
inspections of its nuclear program in exchange for the US lifting sanctions on
the country.
“It
goes to show you I was right about Iran,” Trump said. He called President
Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran “ridiculous.”
The
president also called the UK a “very good ally” and vowed to use its diplomatic
relationship with the United States to help facilitate talks.
“We
always have an alliance with the UK,” Trump said. “We'll talk to the UK. We
have no written agreement, but we have an agreement.”