US President Donald Trump yesterday kicked off meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House with threatening “bigger problems” if Iran restarts its nuclear programme.
Trump said he and Macron, who was in Washington on the second day of a state visit, had “substantive talks on Iran, possibly more than anything else.” 
However, Trump also used strong language in criticising Iran as a trouble-maker throughout the Middle East.
“You can mark it down. If they restart their nuclear programme, they will have bigger problems than they ever had before,” Trump said.
Iran has said that it might restart parts of its nuclear programme that were shut down after a deal signed in 2015 if Trump decides next month not to waive sanctions that periodically come up for review.
Trump, whose views on the Iran nuclear deal and his push to revise it are well-known, criticised the pact as “insane” and “ridiculous,” and also criticised Iran for its backing of Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“No matter where you go in the Middle East, Iran seems to be behind everything where there is a problem,” Trump said.
He also bitterly complained about ballistic missile tests that Iran has carried out, saying they should not be allowed.
Macron said the Iran deal needed to be discussed in the broader context of the region.
“We have a common objective, we want to make sure there’s no escalation and no nuclear proliferation in the region,” he said.
“We now need to find the right path forward.”
Macron had said in an interview broadcast Sunday that he planned to advise Trump not to pull out of the international agreement because there’s no better option.
However, Macron said he was open to the idea of complementing the deal with one covering ballistic missiles.
Trump and Macron held talks after the formal start of the first-ever state visit hosted by the US leader.
Other issues on their agenda include the Syrian conflict, trade and environmental problems, which Macron highlighted during his remarks at the welcoming ceremony.
Macron’s visit is “testament to the enduring friendship that binds our two nations,” Trump had said earlier, recalling the long bonds between the United States and France, which supported US forces in the American War of Independence (1775-83) from Britain.
“It is truly fitting that we are holding our first official state visit with the leader of America’s oldest ally, the proud nation of France,” Trump said.
Macron said that his visit “bears witness to the strength” of the relationship between Paris and Washington.
The French president and his wife, Brigitte, were greeted on arrival outside the White House by Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
The two presidents shook hands and kissed each other on the cheeks before standing for their national anthems with their wives.
The formal state visit includes a review of troops at the White House and a state dinner.
The two leaders also were scheduled to hold a news conference.
Macron is set to lay a wreath afterwards at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.
Macron and his wife had arrived on Monday, planting a tree on the White House grounds and dining with Trump at Mount Vernon, the estate of first US president George Washington.
Today, Macron is to address a joint session of Congress.


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