Europe needs to join forces with the United States by continuing to squeeze and pressure Iran to force the rogue regime back to the negotiating table, U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell told Newsmax TV.
Grenell was on Monday's "Newsmax Now" and discussed myriad topics, including the growing crisis with Iran around that country's terror links and nuclear weapons program.
"The good news is those [U.S.] sanctions are working," Grenell said. "The bad news is that means Iran is on the hunt for more money because this regime needs money to spread its terror. So what we're trying to do in Europe is really articulate to European governments that they're gonna have to really crack down on Hezbollah.
"Hezbollah is looking for money, the Iranian regime is looking for money because the U.S. is squeezing them. We've been able to successfully get other countries to stop buying Iranian oil. That's another problem. So, I think all in all, the sanctions are working."
President Donald Trump announced last May he was withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, a 2015 agreement between Iran, the U.S., and several other nations plus the European Union. Critics of the deal said it was too soft on Iran.
Grenell conveyed the message from the White House that Trump wants a diplomatic solution to the Iran problem, but he is willing to use force if necessary.
"As he's made very clear, it would be a huge mistake for Iran to try to start something with military action," Grenell said.
Grenell, who formerly worked in a communications role at the United Nations, noted Europe still thinks the best way to deal with Iran is the aforementioned nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
"The Europeans believe that the JCPOA, this Iran deal, is the best way forward. We don't," Grenell said. "We are locked in this conversation about how do we get the Europeans to understand that the JCPOA is not working."
He added later, "The Germans need to do more to really pressure the Iranians back to the table. . . . Going around the U.S. sanctions is not a good idea. We believe that the Iranians, when pressured, when the Europeans join us, will come back to the table."
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