"China's stance on tariffs is what any self-respecting sovereign state would say," says Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev

Sachdev, in a conversation with ANI, said that Trump is using the tariffs as his bargaining chip against China.

"The statement by China regarding the threats by Trump of a 50% tariff are I think what any self-respecting sovereign state would say. Bilateral relations between any two nations are between those two nations. There is no reason for a third nation to intervene and especially threaten what each of these two actors does," Sachdev said.

The comments were in reference to the fact that Trump threatened China of 50% tariffs if it traded weapons to Iran.

"Secondly, Trump is due to go to China next month, tentatively. By using this threat, he also creates a new bargaining chip for himself. When he goes, okay, he may not impose a tariffs right now, but when he goes for the meetings, then he could threaten them or add this as one more bargaining chip. Okay, you buy some more soybean oil from me then I will not impose these tariffs on you, or you do this and you do this, so this becomes one more arrow in the quiver of negotiations for Trump," he said.

Sachdev said that European-American relations are in a low phase.

"I think European-American relations have started a period of divorce which started, or let's say the notice of divorce was served at Davos when Trump made all of those statements. Though the matter of Greenland was withdrawn to some extent, that is, I would say, the equivalent of serving divorce papers. Europe is going through intense soul-searching in terms of its own values, core values, because that is what is at odds with what America wants," he said.

Sachdev said that Trump administration blames Europe for being too liberal and not spending much on defence.

"America and the Trump administration blame Europe for being too liberal, too much focused on human rights, too much focus on governmental regulations, environmental concerns and they consider them totally woke and of course also on top of it low expenditure on their defense. That is the core. The Europeans have to now figure out their own matrix of their defense. Their worry is let's say Russia. So their security versus what change or compromise in their core values should they do," he said.

Sachdev said that Europe is nevertheless adhering to what Trump wants though very reluctantly.

"That is the challenge for the Europeans and that is why we are seeing the differentiated response coming from various European countries. Spain is on one end of the spectrum completely denying etc. England wavers sometime here, sometime there. France sometime here, there. But so far still in some senses they are very much following up and adhering to what Trump wants though very reluctantly complaining but still they are adjusting with America also that is what we see happening in this theater," he said.

Sachdev further said that Iran-US talks revealed that the real issue for the US is the enriched Uranium, which it wants Iran to surrender.

"I think the negotiations in Islamabad what they revealed was that the core issue for the Americans is not a nuclear weapon. The core issue is the 900 pounds or so of the 60% enriched uranium and that that uranium should be taken away from Iran or handed over to the Americans or some third non-Iranian entity or country. I think that is the core one. America wants a clear win to be able to say that I have taken out that uranium. People are conflating and mistaking between the uranium and a nuclear weapon. That is one clarity which should be there," he said.

Sachdev said further that Iran offered to reduce the or dilute the 60% enriched Uranium, but the US is not having that either.

"The second is that, yes, the Iranians offered a 5 year period, Americans wanted or Vance wanted a 20 year period. So there is that difference of opinion which is there. So the core issue is now this 60% enriched uranium. The Iranians actually offered that they could dilute this 60% enriched uranium so that its enrichment of the total mass is reduced. That is also coming out, right? They offered to reduce the or dilute the 60% enriched," he said.

Sachdev also said that the US wants that Uranium to be out of Iran, so that it can claim a visible victory.

"But I think where it was basically a deal breaker was the fact that Americans want that 60% to be out of Iran so that they can claim a visible victory. Plus, they wanted, they've been wanting or asking also for demolition of several other nuclear facilities of Iran. We do not know how much of that was agreed between the two at Islamabad talks, but I think even that the Iranians will not allow," he said.

Sachdev said that Iran will obviously not bomb its own nuclear facilities because it's a matter of your national pride.

"They will not go and bomb or dynamite away their own nuclear facilities because once again it's a matter of your national pride, national dignity. You're not going to blow up your national, let's say nuclear research laboratory because the Americans have forced you into it. No country will," he said.

The comments come as US Vice President JD Vance in an interview with Fox News said on Monday (local time) that Iran was willing to engage in economic terrorism around the world.

Vance said he seconds US President Donald Trump and said Iran cannot have nuclear weapon.

"I 100% agree with US President Donald Trump on the fact that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon... If they're willing to engage in economic terrorism on the entire world, what would it mean -- what leverage would they have -- if they had a nuclear bomb in Tehran?" he said. (ANI)