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>> Shannon: IRAN’S PRESIDENT
HAS HIS COUNTRY WILL REMAIN
COMMITTED TO ITS NUCLEAR DEAL
WITH THE WEST EVEN IF THE U.S.
PULLS OUT.
THE FINANCIAL TIMES REPORTS POST
ON HER HONEY SAID YESTERDAY
IRAN’S LEADERS ALREADY CONSIDER
THE U.S. NO LONGER A PARTY TO
THE DEAL.
GREAT BRITAIN IS ONE OF THE
OTHER NATIONS INVOLVED.
TONIGHT BRET BAIER TALKS WITH
THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO THE
U.S. ABOUT IRAN AND OTHER
CRITICAL ISSUES.
>> MR. AMBASSADOR, THANKS FOR
THE TIME.
I WANTED TO GO OVER A COUPLE
ITEMS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND
GREAT BRITAIN.
ONE IS IRAN AND THE CONSTANT
THREAT FROM IRAN BUT ALSO WHAT
IS GOING ON WITH THE IRAN
NUCLEAR DEAL WHAT IS THE VIEW IN
THE U.K.?
>> WE AGREE WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION, AGREE WITH THE
PRESIDENT THAT WHAT IRAN IS
DOING IN THE REGION, IN SYRIA,
LEBANON, IRAQ, YEMEN, IT’S
UNACCEPTABLE.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO PUSH
BACK ON IRANIAN INFLUENCE AND
ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION.
WE ALSO AGREE WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION IN TERMS OF
CONCERNS ABOUT IRAN’S BALLISTIC
MISSILE DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE TALKING NOW ABOUT WAYS OF
ADDRESSING IT.
WE THINK THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
IS NOT A PERFECT DEAL BUT IT’S A
GOOD DEAL AND IT HELPS.
IT’S GOOD FOR EUROPEAN
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY.
BUT WE HEAR WHAT THE PRESIDENT
SAYS ABOUT IT.
WE UNDERSTAND HE HASN’T CONCERNS
ABOUT IT.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO SEE IF WE
CAN FIND A WAY FOR THAT
PRESERVES THE DEAL.
>> HE LAID DOWN THE GAUNTLET
THIS LAST TIME, SAYING IT’S THE
LAST TIME HE’S GOING TO RENEW IT
IF IT’S NOT CHANGED.
IT LEAVES THE BALL IN CONGRESS’
COURT AND ALSO THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY.
HOW LIKELY IS IT?
>> THE NEXT ONE COMES HAVE BEEN
MADE.
THERE WAS A MEETING LAST WEEK OF
SENIOR OFFICIALS TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUES, THE CONCERNS OF THE
PRESIDENT.
WE WILL BE WORKING TO TRY AND
GET A WAY FORWARD THAT ALL OF US
CAN SIGN UP FOR.
WE KNOW IN CONGRESS THEY WILL
HAVE A ROLE ON THIS AS WELL.
WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT A WAY
FORWARD.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE U.K. AND THE U.S.?
THIS PRESIDENT OBVIOUSLY IS SAID
AND TWEETED SOME THINGS THAT
HAVE GOTTEN -- RAISED A LOT OF
EYEBROWS IN YOUR COUNTRY.
HE SAID RECENTLY THE REASON I
CANCELED MY TRIP TO LONDON AS I
AM NOT A BIG FAN OF THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION HAVING SOLD ONE
OF THE FINEST EMBASSIES IN
LONDON FOR PEANUTS ONLY TO BUILD
A NEW ONE FOR $1.2 BILLION.
BAD DEAL.
WANTED ME TO CUT RIBBON.
NO."
THEN HE SISTER THERESA MAY,
DON’T FOCUS ON ME.
FOCUS ON THE DISTRICT OF RADICAL
ISLAMIC TERRORISM IN THE U.K.
WE ARE DOING JUST FINE.
THAT WAS IN NOVEMBER.
OBVIOUSLY THERE IS TENSION.
THE LONDON MAYOR, OTHERS.
HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE
RELATIONSHIP?
>> IT’S A GOOD, STRONG
RELATIONSHIP, AND THEY MEET AND
TALK A LOT.
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF THE
PRIME MINISTER BEING THE FIRST
VISITOR TO SEE THE PRESIDENT.
I THINK THEY HAD MET HALF A
DOZEN TIMES AT INTERNATIONAL
MEETINGS.
THEY TALK ON THE TELEPHONE EVERY
FEW WEEKS.
THEY MET IN DAVO SO WE COULD GO.
TRULY AND REALLY SUCCESSFUL
THE RELATIONSHIP IS VERY GOOD.
BEYOND THAT, IT’S A HUGELY
STRONG RELATIONSHIP AND WHEN
LOTS OF OTHER AREAS.
INTELLIGENCE, SECURITY, DEFENSE.
TRADE RELATIONSHIP, $200 BILLION
WITH OF TRADE BOTH WAYS.
WITH BREXIT AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR DOING A FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE U.K. AND U.S., THE
FUTURE IS GOING TO BE EVEN
BIGGER.
>> YOU ARE SAYING THE OCCASIONAL
DUSTUP, MAY BE AN ICEBERG,
THERE’S MORE UNDER THE WATER AS
FAR AS THE RELATIONSHIP.
>> EXACTLY.
I’VE BEEN 40 YEARS IN THE
FOREIGN SERVICE.
I’VE SEEN A NUMBER OF PRESIDENTS
AND PRIME MINISTERS.
THERE HAS NEVER I THINK THAT A
MOMENT WHERE THERE HASN’T BEEN
AND STRONG RELATIONSHIPS.
ONE OR TWO ISSUES ON WHICH WE
DISAGREE.
>> YOU MENTIONED TERRORISM.
DEALING WITH TERRORIST ATTACKS.
FIVE ATTACKS IN 2017 IN THE U.K.
MI-5 SAYING THEY ARE RUNNING 500
OPERATIONS, LOOKING AT 3,000
SUBJECTS OF INTEREST.
RADICAL ISLAMIST MAJOR CONCERN
FOR THE U.K., AS IT IS FOR THE
U.S.
>> MI-5 DO AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB
COMBATING RADICAL ISLAMIC
TERRORISM, IN PREEMPTING
TERRORIST CRIMES BEFORE THEY
HAPPEN.
THE THREAT IS EVER PRESENT.
IT’S GOING TO BE THERE FOR A
GENERATION.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR
PARTNERS IN WASHINGTON.
>> YOU MENTION BREXIT.
THERE IS STILL A LOT OF ANGST
ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.
I KNOW IN THE U.K. OBVIOUSLY
FIGURING IT OUT BUT IN THE WORLD
ECONOMY AND HOW IT’S GOING TO
AFFECT THINGS.
WHERE DO YOU PUT IT NOW, AND THE
PROSPECTS OF BREXIT?
>> THE NEXT TASK IS TO AGREE ON
TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS.
CONTINUITY TO INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESSES IN THE U.K.
BEYOND THAT, WE NEED TO WORK ON
A FUTURE TRADING RELATIONSHIP
WITH CEO.
I’M CONFIDENT WE WILL ACHIEVE