German Chancellor Merkel to hold talks with US President this week

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

The leaders of the United States and France have called for a new deal curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme, but Iranian President Hassan Rouhani swiftly rejected their demands and the EU insisted the current agreement must stay.

The appeal from two of the signatories to the landmark 2015 accord came as French President Emmanuel Macron was on a state visit, received with much pomp by US President Donald Trump.

Trump laid trans-Atlantic divisions bare, pillorying a three-year old agreement designed to curb Iran’s nuclear programme.

The US leader described it as “insane” and “ridiculous,” despite European pleas for him not to walk away.

Instead, Trump eyed a broader “deal” that would also limit Iran’s ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups across the Middle East.

Macron said the agreement should impose tougher terms on Iran including a settlement in Syria, where it backs President Bashar al Assad.

Macron addressed a joint session of the US Congress yesterday, with more freedom to speak his mind on world issues after his talks with Trump.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani yesterday questioned the legitimacy of demands for a fresh nuclear agreement with Tehran.

“Together with a leader of a European country they say: ‘We want to decide on an agreement reached by seven parties’. What for? With what right?” Rouhani said in a speech.

He dismissed Trump as a “tradesman” who lacked the qualifications to deal with a complex international pact. He reserved particular scorn for the US president, who has threatened to restore US sanctions next month unless what he sees as severe flaws of the deal are fixed.

“You don’t have any background in politics. You don’t have any background in law. You don’t have any background on international treaties,” Rouhani said. “How can a tradesman, a merchant, a building constructor, a tower constructor make judgements about international affairs?” he added referring to Trump’s career as a property developer.

EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini insisted yesterday that the current Iran nuclear deal was working and “needs to be preserved”. In Moscow, the Kremlin said there can be "no alternative" to the current deal with Iran.

“We believe that no alternative exists so far,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Trump said earlier that “they should have made a deal that covered Yemen, that covered Syria".