But her luck appeared no better than Macrons — much to Germany's dismay, Reiner Braun, co-president of the International Peace Bureau, told Loud & Clear on Radio Sputnik, saying the deal is crucial to Germany's economic and political plans with Iran.
Braun spoke to the stark differences between the leaders: "Can you imagine… a real scientist who was making science for about 30 years in your life trying to find new things, trying to be next to the truth and develop a scientific approach: what would you do with a guy like Trump?"
Merkel, who holds a doctorate in quantum chemistry, is "an intellectual woman," Braun told Loud & Clear hosts John Kiriakou and Brian Becker and Sputnik news analyst Walter Smolarek. "Many people have the possibility to talk to her, notice that she's really very clever in the discussion, that she can listen, that she can [make] argument[s]," Braun said, whereas "everything of this is the opposite of Trump."
"It is a lot of pressure on Merkel to sit together with such a man."
Merkel was unable to convince Trump to remain in the Iran nuclear agreement, amid speculation that Trump will kill the deal, as promised, by failing to reauthorize it May 12. Braun says such a move would be disastrous for Germany's plans for its role in the Middle East.
"The hope of the German big industry is to make profit with the new development after the Iran deal… what Trump is doing is deeply against the economical and political interests of Germany, which wants to play an important role in the region," Braun told the show. "The ‘important role' means that Germany tried to find a little bit of balanced politics between Saudi Arabia — which is deeply supported by Germany… and Iran," bitter ideological and geopolitical adversaries.
"All of this only works when the deal will continue working and be in the background of all the future agreements. It is deeply against German interests, what Trump is doing," Braun said.
"Iran is traditionally a very important trade partner from Germany," he said. "We have strong and intensive relations to Iran. Many of the young Iranian intellectual people were educated and trained in Germany."
While Braun says Merkel surely came to Washington with all of her arguments prepared and well defined, he notes that "it is not a question of arguments. Trump had, I don't know by which reasons, decided that he doesn't want this and I cannot see that anyone can convince him."
