Trump says 'probably not' to join Putin-proposed summit on Iran

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would not participate in the summit on Iran that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed on Friday.

"Probably not," Trump said when asked whether he would join the Putin-proposed video summit during a news conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Trump also confirmed to reporters that the United States "will be doing a snapback" against Iran, referring to restoring all pre-2015 UN sanctions against Iran.

"You will be watching it next week," he added.

The UN Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution that would extend the current arms embargo against Iran. The draft resolution, tabled by the United States, did not get the required nine votes in favor for adoption.

US Permanent Representative to the UN Kelly Craft claimed on Friday that "the United States has every right to initiate snapback of provisions of previous Security Council resolutions."

"In the coming days, the United States will follow through on that promise, and we will stop at nothing to extend the arms embargo," she said.

Under Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the six powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, the arms embargo against Iran expires on Oct 18, 2020.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the deal in May 2018.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said Friday that the United States is no longer a participant of the Iran nuclear deal and therefore ineligible to demand the Security Council invoke a snapback.

Foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany also noted in June that they would not support any unilateral attempt to trigger UN sanctions snapback.

Putin proposed on Friday holding an urgent online meeting of the heads of the five states that are permanent members of the UN Security Council with the participation of the leaders of Germany and Iran to discuss Iran and the Persian Gulf situation.