Obama and Merkel, the German chancellor, fielded questions from reporters Monday about new sanctions on Iranwhich Congress is pushing, but Obama says should be delayed while a deal to end the country’s nuclear program is negotiatedduring Merkel’s visit to Washington.
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He’d initially sought to deliver a speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate. But Merkel was angry about the prospect of the Brandenburg Gate — an important symbol during Germany’s partitioned era and its emergence from it — being used for campaign purposes. So Obama’s speech was delivered in front of the nearby Victory Column.