VOL. CLXIX . . . No. 58,564 © 2020 The New York Times Company NEW YORK, MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020

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BAGHDAD — The conse-quences of the American killing ofa top Iranian general rippledacross the Middle East and be-yond on Sunday, with Iran all butabandoning a landmark nuclearagreement and Iraqi lawmakersvoting to expel American forcesfrom their country.

Steeling for retaliation fromIran, an American-led coalition inIraq and Syria suspended thecampaign it has waged againstthe Islamic State for years, as hun-dreds of thousands of Iranianstook to the street to mourn thegeneral, Qassim Suleimani.

“Iran’s nuclear program willhave no limitations in production,including enrichment capacity,”the Iranian government said in anannouncement Sunday thatseemed to signal the de facto col-lapse of the 2015 agreement.

Warning Iran not to attack,President Trump said the UnitedStates had pinpointed 52 targetsin Iran — including cultural sites.The sites, he said, represented the52 American hostages held at theUnited States Embassy in Tehranduring the Islamic Revolution in1979.

Amid outrage in Iran, ForeignMinister Mohammad Javad Zarifdeclared that “targeting culturalsites is a war crime” and predictedthat the “end of U.S. malign pres-ence in West Asia has begun.”

Mr. Trump also directed his an-ger at Iraq, warning it not to expelAmerican forces, and pointing toan air base the United State builtthere. “We’re not leaving unlessthey pay us back for it,” he said.

Mr. Trump has said that thekilling of General Suleimani onFriday was aimed at preventingwar.

But so far, it has unleashed ahost of unanticipated conse-quences that could dramaticallyalter where the United States op-erates. Increasingly, the killingappeared to be generating effects

STANDOFF BUILDS AS IRAN DROPS NUCLEAR LIMITS

This article is by Alissa J. Rubin,Ben Hubbard, Farnaz Fassihi andSteven Erlanger.

As crowds in Tehran on Sunday denounced the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the Iranian government vowed to end its “final limitations” in the nuclear deal.ARASH KHAMOOSHI FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

Iraqi Leaders Vote toExpel U.S. Troops

Continued on Page A9

Since the Harvey Weinsteinstory broke more than two yearsago, everything about it has beenoutsize: the scope of the allega-tions of sexual harassment and as-sault, stretching back decades;the number of his accusers, whototal more than 80; and the globalscale of the reckoning their storieshave inspired.

Now, as the Hollywoodproducer’s criminal trial beginsMonday in Manhattan, the out-come already is anticipated as averdict on much more than oneman’s alleged wrongdoing.

Many supporters of the#MeToo movement that Mr.Weinstein’s accusers helped ig-nite are looking to see whether thelegal system can deliver justicefor victims. Lawyers for Mr. Wein-stein, who lost his company, hisreputation and his marriage, arearguing that the case is proof that#MeToo has gone too far. At thecourthouse, media from aroundthe world, demonstrators outsideand spectators in packed gallerieswill be watching.

But for all the expectationsabout the high-profile trial, the ju-rors will be hearing a narrow legalcase, with an already-fraught

back story and a highly unpredict-able result.

While prosecutors intend to callseveral female witnesses to showa pattern of misconduct, thecharges rest largely on two wom-en. Mr. Weinstein is accused offorcing oral sex on a film produc-

tion assistant and raping anotherwoman, who is still anonymous,her story not publicly known.Most of the other allegationsagainst Mr. Weinstein dated toofar back to be prosecuted, fell out-side New York’s jurisdiction or in-volved abusive behavior that was

not criminal. Other accusers wereunwilling to participate, con-vinced the personal toll would betoo great.

The prosecutors’ path to thecourthouse has been difficult.

The #MeToo Movement Is Vast. The Weinstein Trial Is Narrow.This article is by Megan Twohey,

Jodi Kantor and Jan Ransom.

Harvey Weinstein’s accusers number more than 80. Two will soon have their day in court with him.JUSTIN LANE/EPA, VIA SHUTTERSTOCK

Continued on Page A17

Even as Boeing inches closer togetting the 737 Max back in the air,new problems with the plane areemerging that go beyond the soft-ware that played a role in twodeadly crashes.

As part of the work to return theMax to service, the company andregulators have scrutinized everyaspect of the jet, uncovering newpotential design flaws.

At the request of the FederalAviation Administration, Boeingconducted an internal audit in De-

cember to determine whether ithad accurately assessed the dan-gers of key systems given new as-sumptions about how long itmight take pilots to respond toemergencies, according to a sen-ior engineer at Boeing and threepeople familiar with the matter.

Among the most pressing is-sues discovered were previouslyunreported concerns with thewiring that helps control the tail ofthe Max.

The company is looking atwhether two bundles of criticalwiring are too close together and

As Boeing Scrutinizes 737 Max,New Safety Risks Come to Light

By NATALIE KITROEFFand DAVID GELLES

Continued on Page A15

When President Trump with-drew the United States from theIran nuclear deal in May 2018, hejustified his unilateral action bysaying the accord was flawed, in

part because themajor restrictions onIran ended after 15years, when Tehran

would be free to produce asmuch nuclear fuel as it wanted.

But now, instead of buckling toAmerican pressure, Iran de-clared on Sunday that thoserestrictions are over — a decadeahead of schedule. Mr. Trump’sgambit has effectively backfired.

Iran’s announcement essen-tially sounded the death knell ofthe 2015 nuclear agreement. And

it largely re-creates conditionsthat led Israel and the UnitedStates to consider destroyingIran’s facilities a decade ago,again bringing them closer to thepotential of open conflict withTehran that was avoided by theaccord.

Iran did stop short of abandon-ing the entire deal on Sunday,formally known as the JointComprehensive Plan of Action,and its foreign minister heldopen the possibility that his

nation would return to its provi-sions in the future — if Mr.Trump reversed course and liftedthe sanctions he has imposedsince withdrawing from theaccord.

That, at least, appeared to holdopen the possibility of a diplo-matic off-ramp to the majorescalation in hostilities since theUnited States killed Maj. Gen.Qassim Suleimani, the secondmost powerful official in Iran andhead of the Quds Force.

But some leading expertsdeclared that the effort to containIran’s nuclear ambitions throughdiplomacy was over. “It’s fin-ished,” David Albright, the presi-dent of the Institute for Scienceand International Security, aprivate group in Washington that

By DAVID E. SANGERand WILLIAM J. BROAD

Continued on Page A10

Instead of Backing Down, Tehran Backs Out

Pressure by Trump DoesNot Daunt an Enemy,

Raising the Stakes

NEWSANALYSIS

Susan E. Rice PAGE A19

EDITORIAL, OP-ED A18-19

Venezuela’s leader took over the Na-tional Assembly, blocking the oppositionleader Juan Guaidó, above. PAGE A4

INTERNATIONAL A4-10

Maduro Tightens His GripIncreases in minimum wages across thecountry may make the labor marketlook a bit rosier than it really is. PAGE B1

BUSINESS B1-6

Rising Wages, but at the BottomPhoebe Waller-Bridge won two awardsfor “Fleabag” as studios and streamingservices vied for dominance. PAGE C1

ARTS C1-8

Glory at the Golden Globes

Frustration is mounting with the primeminister over his response to the coun-try’s disastrous fire season. PAGE A5

Fiddling as Australia Burns

As Bellingham, Wash., debates phasingout natural gas to reduce its emissions,some worry it would be too costly forhomeowners. PAGE A11

NATIONAL A11-15

Could a Ban Be a Burden?

Candidates for the Democratic nomina-tion have been averse to critiquing theirrivals within the party. PAGE A14

TV Spots Light on Sparring

Tens of thousands rallied on the Brook-lyn Bridge after recent violence thatshook Jewish New Yorkers. PAGE A16

NEW YORK A16-17, 20

Jewish Solidarity MarchThe N.A.A.C.P. is trying to stop localbranches from lobbying for the energyindustry after taking its money. PAGE B1

Rethinking Fossil Fuel Ties

Minnesota beat New Orleans with a75-yard overtime drive, and Seattle heldoff Philadelphia to reach the divisionalround of the N.F.L. playoffs. PAGES D2, 3

SPORTSMONDAY D1-6

Vikings and Seahawks Advance

Known for hybrid works infused withhumor, John Baldessari helped changeLos Angeles and mentored a who’s whoof contemporary artists. He was 88.

OBITUARIES D7

A Conceptual Artist With Wit

MOURNING The attack “insultedthe national pride of Iranians,”one resident said. PAGE A9

WASHINGTON — For threeyears, President Trump’s criticshave expressed concern overhow he would handle a genuineinternational crisis, warning thata commander in chief known for

impulsive action mightoverreach with danger-ous consequences.

In the angry andfrenzied aftermath of

the American drone strike thatkilled Iran’s top general, withvows of revenge hanging in theair, Mr. Trump confronts a deci-sive moment that will testwhether those critics were rightor whether they misjudged him.

“The moment we all feared islikely upon us,” Senator Christo-pher S. Murphy, Democrat ofConnecticut and vocal critic ofMr. Trump, wrote on Twitter overthe weekend. “An unstable Presi-dent in way over his head, pan-icking, with all his experiencedadvisers having quit, and onlythe sycophantic amateurs re-maining. Assassinating foreignleaders, announcing plans tobomb civilians. A nightmare.”

Mr. Trump’s advisers andallies dismissed the criticism as

Trump FacesPerilous Path

And Big TestBy PETER BAKER

Continued on Page A8

WHITEHOUSEMEMO

WASHINGTON — PresidentTrump’s abrupt decision to killIran’s top security commanderhas reshuffled the already fraughtpolitical dynamic around im-peachment and thrust matters ofwar and peace into the middle ofan election-year debate overwhether to remove Mr. Trumpfrom office.

As Congress reconvenes onMonday, the specter of escalatinghostilities with Iran and a searingdebate over the justification be-hind Mr. Trump’s action will takecenter stage on Capitol Hill. Theunexpected turn of events hasadded a volatile new element tothe pitched fight over Mr. Trump’simpeachment trial in the Senate.

For Republicans, the killing ofMaj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, theleader of Iran’s elite Quds Force,fueled a new line of defense of thepresident, as they argued thatDemocrats’ effort to oust Mr.Trump while he tended to mattersof national security was irrespon-sible.

“Think of the contrast,” Repre-sentative Kevin McCarthy of Cali-

Iran Fear JoinsImpeachmentOn the Docket

By NICHOLAS FANDOSand CATIE EDMONDSON

Continued on Page A13

WORRYING A post-9/11 generationconsidered the potential for esca-lation after the strike. PAGE A12

Late EditionToday, clouds giving way to somesunshine, breezy, not as cold, high47. Tonight, partly cloudy, low 33. To-morrow, turning cloudy, rain late,high 42. Weather map, Page A20.

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