French Prez Macron To Visit U.S. Ahead Of Nuclear Deal Deadline

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit the White House next week, in what many analysts view as Europe’s last chance to persuade the Trump administration to remain in the Iran nuclear deal. The U.S. president has set a May 12 deadline to negotiate a follow-on agreement with France, Britain and Germany—parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action along with Russia and China—that addresses the original pact’s “sunset clauses,” which remove restrictions on Iran’s ability to enrich uranium in just over a decade’s time; curbs Tehran’s ballistic missile program, which Washington argues contravenes United Nations Security Council resolutions; and penalizes the Islamic Republic for its “nefarious” regional activities. While the so-called “E3” powers have shown an openness to engage President Trump on the latter two issues, they have thus far vehemently opposed any move that violates or alters the accord itself. While the French and American leaders reportedly have forged a close bond, President Macron previously has been unable to sway his counterpart, most notably in relation to Washington’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Moreover, while the French president last week claimed to have successfully convinced President Trump to maintain a troop presence in Syria, reports surfaced hours later that the White House was still working towards a complete military pull-out.