UN Security Council to visit Trump

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington for a working lunch with President Donald Trump, the U.S. mission confirmed Friday.

In addition to meeting Monday, Council members will also tour what U.S. officials have described as evidence Iranian-supplied missiles and equipment were used by Houthi rebels in Yemen in contravention of Security Council resolutions.

H.R. McMaster, the president's national security advisor, will also take the council to the Holocaust Museum to tour an exhibit on Syria.

The visit will come as Trump continues to seek a rollback of the internationally brokered and Security Council-endorsed agreement between world powers and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program. Trump has said that he will not extend U.S. sanctions relief again unless the U.S. and its European allies come up with a side deal that would tighten regulations.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and British National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill earlier this week that the U.S. and Britain will start work on an annex agreement.

France, however, has indicated opposition to any additional requirements, criticizing Trump for pressuring Europe to change the deal's terms.

If Trump does not again extend sanctions relief on a May deadline, he would effectively scuttle the agreement.

International inspectors have consistently said Iran is abiding by the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.