‘Donald Trump only left Iran deal to spite Barack Obama’: Second wave of Sir Kim Darroch leaks published despite police warning The ambassador described Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal as ‘diplomatic vandalism’

More leaks from UK ambassador to the US Sir Kim Darroch have been published by The Mail on Sunday, despite police warning that it may be a criminal act.

The newspaper published a second wave of private communications from Sir Kim, in which the diplomat describes Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal as “diplomatic vandalism” intended to spite his predecessor Barack Obama.

After a meeting with several key Trump aides over the decision to withdraw in 2018, Sir Kim wrote: “None of the three could articulate why the President was determined to withdraw, beyond his campaign promises… and, even when you pressed, none had anything much to say about the day after, or a Plan B, beyond re-imposition of US sanctions.”

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He added: “The Administration is set upon an act of diplomatic vandalism, seemingly for ideological and personality reasons – it was Obama’s deal.”

Criminal matter

The news comes one week after the same newspaper published messages from the diplomat describing the Trump administration as “dysfunctional,” prompting rage from the US President and forcing Sir Kim’s resignation.

Ahead of the fresh story in The Mail on Sunday, London’s Metropolitan Police issued a rare warning to media outlets that leaks could constitute a “criminal matter.”

Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu had warned: “The publication of leaked communications, knowing the damage they have caused or are likely to cause may also be a criminal matter.

“I would advise all owners, editors and publishers of social and mainstream media not to publish leaked government documents that may already be in their possession, or which may be offered to them, and to turn them over to the police or give them back to their rightful owner, Her Majesty’s Government.”

Official Secrets Act

The warning was condemned by press freedom campaigners and political figures including Conservative leadership challengers Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.

In a second statement, Mr Basu added that while “the media hold an important role in scrutinising the actions of the state… “publication of these specific documents, now knowing they may be a breach of the Official Secrets Act, could also constitute a criminal offence and one that carries no public interest defence.

“We know these documents and potentially others remain in circulation.

“We have a duty to prevent as well as detect crime and the previous statement was intended to alert to the risk of breaching the OSA.”

Sinister and disturbing

In an editorial, The Mail on Sunday rejected the threat as “sinister and disturbing.”



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The newspaper wrote: “There can be no serious argument, in a free democracy, that the act of helping the people to be better informed should be a matter for the police.

“It is absurd, if not actually ridiculous, that a truthful and accurate leak of significant material, enabling the voters of this country to be better informed and to make better choices, should be met in Whitehall and in Scotland Yard by threats of arrest and prosecution.”