German chancellor, Chinese premier defend Iran deal, free trade at Beijing talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang defended the Iran nuclear deal during a meeting in Beijing on Thursday. Ending the agreement with Tehran “will not just impact Iran, but also have a negative impact on [the ability] to solve other hot international issues through peaceful negotiations,” Li warned, without mentioning North Korea. The German leader also sounded the alarm about the economic impact on Europe of US President Donald Trump’s move to quit the Iran agreement, AFP reported. On trade, Merkel welcomed China’s moves to reduce automobile import tariffs. Li dismissed the idea that the Iran crisis paved the way for the internationalization of the Chinese currency. “The internationalization of the yuan is a long-term process that is closely linked to the development of the Chinese economy,” Li said.