Former U.K. ambassador reportedly called Trump's decision to leave Iran deal 'an act of diplomatic vandalism'

Kim Darroch.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Brace yourselves for more leaks.

Kim Darroch, the former United Kingdom ambassador to the United States, reportedly alleged that President Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018 for "personality reasons." The news broke after The Daily Mail released more information from what are reportedly leaked diplomatic memos that Darroch sent back to London during his time in Washington.

Last week, there were reports that Darroch called Trump "insecure," "inept," and "incompetent," which drew the president's ire, and eventually led to Darroch's decision to step down from his post.

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In Saturday's report Darroch allegedly described Trump's decision on Iran as "an act of diplomatic vandalism" that was done simply to spite his predecessor former President Barack Obama, whose administration played a major role in brokering the deal in 2015. Darroch also criticized the Trump administration's strategy concerning the withdrawal.

"Moreover, they can't articulate any 'day-after' strategy; and contacts with State Department this morning suggest no sort of plan for reaching out to partners and allies, whether in Europe or the region," Darroch reportedly wrote in one of the leaked memos.

Iran, of course, has recently announced it will no longer comply with the limits agreed upon in the deal.

As for the leaks, U.K. police are trying to find some metaphorical duct tape. Scotland Yard's Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu warned media organizations against publishing leaked government documents, and the Met Police released a statement saying that journalists unveiling further details on the ambassador's cables could be in breach of the U.K.'s Official Secrets Act.

One person that hasn't been heard from yet is President Trump, but if his response to the last round of leaks was any indication, it might be worth keeping an eye on that Twitter feed.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.