2 apr 2015
US president praises 'historic' understanding; French FM notes 'incontestable positive developments'; Germany sees 'big step forward' but cautions that 'it is too early to celebrate.'
President Barack Obama said the 'framework' agreement on curbing Iran's nuclear program was "a good deal – a deal that meets our core objectives."
He stressed that the nuclear deal – if completed – will make US, its allies, and the world safer. The American president also claimed that the deal shut down Iran's path to constructing a bomb using enriched uranium but warned that the deal does not end US mistrust of the Islamic Republic.
Obama was scheduled to be away, but he delayed his departure as negotiators in Switzerland hammered out final details of a framework agreement. Obama has invested significant political capital in the nuclear negotiations. The talks have strained the US relationship with Israel and deepened tensions with Congress.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said late in the evening that the Americans consulted with Israel and the Gulf states and reaffirmed the US commitment to their security.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and President Francois Hollande welcomed the "framework" agreed on curbing Iran's nuclear power on Thursday but said there was work to do to before there could be an acceptable deal.
"This is a stage agreement that includes some incontestable positive developments but there is still work to do," Fabius said on France 2 television from Lausanne, in Switzerland, where the talks are taking place.
In a statement noting the new deadline of June 30 for a final deal, Hollande added: "France will be watchful, as it always is in step with its partners, to ensure that a credible, verifiable agreement be established under which the international community can be sure Iran will not be in a position to have access to nuclear arms."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that the agreement with Iran represented an "important step."
"We are closer than ever to an agreement that makes it impossible for Iran to possess nuclear weapons," Merkel said in a statement after news of the preliminary deal between world powers and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Germany's foreign minister said the agreement represented a "big, decisive step forward" that could lead to an easing of tensions across the Middle East if a final deal was clinched in over the coming months.
"It is too early to celebrate. Nevertheless, with the framework agreement we have overcome obstacles that stood in the way of a deal for a decade," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.
"If a final agreement is achieved, it could in my view not only pave the way for a solution to the Iran conflict, but it would be the first and only conflict in the Middle East where we will have achieved a deescalation. It could therefore provide hope for an easing of tensions in the region and between Iran and Arab states," Steinmeier added.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said a fuller deal that kept to the agreed parameters of the initial agreement would provide reassurance that Tehran's nuclear program was peaceful, but said intensive talks to thrash out the "fine detail" now lay ahead.
"This is well beyond what many of us thought possible even 18 months ago and a good basis for what I believe could be a very good deal," Hammond said in a statement. "But there is still more work to do."
While the US president praised the 'historic' deal, one of his toughest challenges will be convincing Congress to hold off on legislation that would authorize new sanctions on Iran. The president has warned that the legislation could upend the delicate diplomacy.
President Barack Obama said the 'framework' agreement on curbing Iran's nuclear program was "a good deal – a deal that meets our core objectives."
He stressed that the nuclear deal – if completed – will make US, its allies, and the world safer. The American president also claimed that the deal shut down Iran's path to constructing a bomb using enriched uranium but warned that the deal does not end US mistrust of the Islamic Republic.
Obama was scheduled to be away, but he delayed his departure as negotiators in Switzerland hammered out final details of a framework agreement. Obama has invested significant political capital in the nuclear negotiations. The talks have strained the US relationship with Israel and deepened tensions with Congress.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said late in the evening that the Americans consulted with Israel and the Gulf states and reaffirmed the US commitment to their security.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and President Francois Hollande welcomed the "framework" agreed on curbing Iran's nuclear power on Thursday but said there was work to do to before there could be an acceptable deal.
"This is a stage agreement that includes some incontestable positive developments but there is still work to do," Fabius said on France 2 television from Lausanne, in Switzerland, where the talks are taking place.
In a statement noting the new deadline of June 30 for a final deal, Hollande added: "France will be watchful, as it always is in step with its partners, to ensure that a credible, verifiable agreement be established under which the international community can be sure Iran will not be in a position to have access to nuclear arms."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that the agreement with Iran represented an "important step."
"We are closer than ever to an agreement that makes it impossible for Iran to possess nuclear weapons," Merkel said in a statement after news of the preliminary deal between world powers and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Germany's foreign minister said the agreement represented a "big, decisive step forward" that could lead to an easing of tensions across the Middle East if a final deal was clinched in over the coming months.
"It is too early to celebrate. Nevertheless, with the framework agreement we have overcome obstacles that stood in the way of a deal for a decade," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.
"If a final agreement is achieved, it could in my view not only pave the way for a solution to the Iran conflict, but it would be the first and only conflict in the Middle East where we will have achieved a deescalation. It could therefore provide hope for an easing of tensions in the region and between Iran and Arab states," Steinmeier added.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said a fuller deal that kept to the agreed parameters of the initial agreement would provide reassurance that Tehran's nuclear program was peaceful, but said intensive talks to thrash out the "fine detail" now lay ahead.
"This is well beyond what many of us thought possible even 18 months ago and a good basis for what I believe could be a very good deal," Hammond said in a statement. "But there is still more work to do."
While the US president praised the 'historic' deal, one of his toughest challenges will be convincing Congress to hold off on legislation that would authorize new sanctions on Iran. The president has warned that the legislation could upend the delicate diplomacy.
15 mar 2015
TIME magazine reports that day before announcing his controversial US Congress speech, Netanyahu tried to prevent a group of US lawmakers from meeting with head of Mossad who planned to warn them against more Iran sanctions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to prevent a group of US Senators visiting Israel from meeting the head of Israel's foreign intelligence service because the two were in disagreement regarding Iran, TIME magazine said in an exclusive report published late Saturday.
According to the report, the Senators were slated to meet with Tamir Pardo, head of Israel's Mossad, where they were reportedly expected to hear of the dangers of more sanctions on Iran. The report claimed that while Netanyahu supported the idea of additional US-led sanctions on Iran, the Mossad thought they ran the risk of derailing nuclear negotiations. The report cited sources familiar with the events.
TIME reported that Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had requested the briefing for six fellow lawmakers visiting Israel at the end of January so that the Mossad could warn them against Senate-led sanction proposal.
Upon learning of the event, Netanyahu’s office reportedly removed the meeting from the schedule. In response, Corker reportedly threatened to cut his own visit short. Only after Netanyahu confidante and Israel's ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, intervened was the event put back on the schedule, TIME said citing unnamed sources. The meeting with Pardo took place and Corker attended together with Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and John Barrasso, Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Joe Donnelly, and Independent Senator Angus King.
This is not the first time the Mossad and Netanyahu have been at odds of Iran's nuclear program, especially in regards to the US. As part of Al Jazeera and the Guardian's recent reports of secret leaked diplomatic cables, two weeks after Netanyahu addressed the US Congress in 2012 and claimed Iran was a year away from a bomb, the Mossad told with South Africa that Iran was “not performing the activity necessary to produce weapons."
According to the interim deal reached between Iran and the world powers last November, no new sanctions can be implemented. The bill in question was proposed by Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Robert Menendez and would have imposed new sanctions on Iran if it failed to reach a long-term deal by June 30. According to Bloomberg news, US intelligence concluded that the Kirk-Menendez bill ran the risk of derailing talks and with them the interim deal. Corker wanted the Mossad briefing to back the assumption.
At the meet, Pardo likened the bill to “throwing a grenade” into the diplomatic process. However, Netanyahu has been extremely vocal in his support of maintaining sanctions on Iran and cited cheap oil as a prime reason why the US and other powers could afford to hold off on signing a "bad" nuclear deal with Iran ahead of an end-March deadline for a framework agreement. During his US Congress speech, Netanyahu said Iran was more desperate for a deal and would not walk away from talks. "They'll be back because they need the deal a lot more than you do," he told lawmakers.
Sanctions have halved Iran's oil exports to just over 1 million barrels per day since 2012, spurring inflation and unemployment that the Obama administration has credited for forcing Iran into negotiations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to prevent a group of US Senators visiting Israel from meeting the head of Israel's foreign intelligence service because the two were in disagreement regarding Iran, TIME magazine said in an exclusive report published late Saturday.
According to the report, the Senators were slated to meet with Tamir Pardo, head of Israel's Mossad, where they were reportedly expected to hear of the dangers of more sanctions on Iran. The report claimed that while Netanyahu supported the idea of additional US-led sanctions on Iran, the Mossad thought they ran the risk of derailing nuclear negotiations. The report cited sources familiar with the events.
TIME reported that Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had requested the briefing for six fellow lawmakers visiting Israel at the end of January so that the Mossad could warn them against Senate-led sanction proposal.
Upon learning of the event, Netanyahu’s office reportedly removed the meeting from the schedule. In response, Corker reportedly threatened to cut his own visit short. Only after Netanyahu confidante and Israel's ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, intervened was the event put back on the schedule, TIME said citing unnamed sources. The meeting with Pardo took place and Corker attended together with Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and John Barrasso, Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Joe Donnelly, and Independent Senator Angus King.
This is not the first time the Mossad and Netanyahu have been at odds of Iran's nuclear program, especially in regards to the US. As part of Al Jazeera and the Guardian's recent reports of secret leaked diplomatic cables, two weeks after Netanyahu addressed the US Congress in 2012 and claimed Iran was a year away from a bomb, the Mossad told with South Africa that Iran was “not performing the activity necessary to produce weapons."
According to the interim deal reached between Iran and the world powers last November, no new sanctions can be implemented. The bill in question was proposed by Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Robert Menendez and would have imposed new sanctions on Iran if it failed to reach a long-term deal by June 30. According to Bloomberg news, US intelligence concluded that the Kirk-Menendez bill ran the risk of derailing talks and with them the interim deal. Corker wanted the Mossad briefing to back the assumption.
At the meet, Pardo likened the bill to “throwing a grenade” into the diplomatic process. However, Netanyahu has been extremely vocal in his support of maintaining sanctions on Iran and cited cheap oil as a prime reason why the US and other powers could afford to hold off on signing a "bad" nuclear deal with Iran ahead of an end-March deadline for a framework agreement. During his US Congress speech, Netanyahu said Iran was more desperate for a deal and would not walk away from talks. "They'll be back because they need the deal a lot more than you do," he told lawmakers.
Sanctions have halved Iran's oil exports to just over 1 million barrels per day since 2012, spurring inflation and unemployment that the Obama administration has credited for forcing Iran into negotiations.
5 mar 2015
Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif tells NBC his country `doesn’t support blind terrorism’ and `we will never have a bomb.’
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations in his recent speech to the U.S. Congress that Iran wants to destroy Israel.
In an interview with NBC, Zarif said that “Iran saved the Jews three times in its history,” insinuating that Netanyahu should brush up on his history lessons.
Zarif said Netanyahu distorts both the current reality and the writings in Jewish sources and the Bible.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Netanyahu now totally distorts realities of today,” Zarif said. “He even distorts his own scripture. If you read the book of Esther, you will see that it was the Iranian king who saved the Jews. …
“It is truly, truly regrettable that bigotry gets to the point of making allegations against an entire nation which has saved Jews three times in its history: once during that time of a prime minister who was trying to kill the Jews, and the king saved the Jews; again during the time of Cyrus the Great, where he saved the Jews from Babylon, and during the Second World War, where Iran saved the Jews.”
Challenge from the reporter
Senior NBC correspondent Ann Curry, who has been covering the nuclear talks between the powers and Iran for two years, challenged Zarif with the examples that Netanyahu gave in his Congress speech.
She quoted a tweet from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: “This barbaric wolf-like and infanticidal regime of Israel which spares no crime, has no cure but to be annihilated.”
The Iranian foreign minister tried to avoid the question and claimed that Khamenei was not referring to all Jews, but the “Israeli regime” headed by Netanyahu.
“If we wanted to annihilate Jews, we have a large number of Jewish population in Iran who not only live in the country in peace, but, in fact, have a representative in Iranian parliament allocated to them, disproportionately to their number,” Zarif said.
“Every 150,000 Iranian Muslims has a representative in the parliament, whereas less than 20,000 Jews in Iran have a representative in the parliament. So we’re not about annihilation of Jews.
“We have a history of tolerance and cooperation and living together in coexistence with our own Jewish people, and with Jews everywhere in the world. If people want to espouse fear mongering to fan such hysteria in the world, that’s to their detriment.”
`The regime is a threat’
Curry repeated the question and asked Zarif to qualify the distinction between “the regime in Israel” and the Jews.
“This regime is a threat,” Zarif replied. “A regime that engages in the killing of innocent children, a regime that engages in acts of aggression. Iran has not invaded any other country. We have not threatened to use force.
“Just exactly the opposite of Israel. Israel threatens to use force against Iran almost on a daily basis. … Of course if they did use force against Iran, we would defend ourselves, as we have done with great sacrifice in the past. But we are not invading, we are not threatening anybody. We have not threatened anybody for 250 years.
“We have a record to prove of what we say. He doesn’t. He has a record full of infanticide, full of killing of innocent people, full of aggression against his neighbor, full of occupation.”
Curry continued to pressure Zarif. She reminded him that during the speech to Congress, Netanyahu accused him of laying a wreath at the grave of Hezbollah operations chief Imad Mughniyeh, who was responsible for killing hundreds of Americans.
Again, Zarif tried to avoid the question: “First of all, we have our policy differences with the United States. Secondly, I’m not running for a popularity contest in the United States [against Netanyahu].”
Replying to Netanyahu’s accusation against him, Zarif said: “He is the one visiting [Jabhat] al-Nusra (Nusra Front) terrorists in Israeli hospitals. It’s for him to respond to those allegations. We have been proven, time and again, that we have supported people who stand for justice, who stand against oppression.
“We do not support blind terrorism. We never supported groups or tendencies that commit beheading in Syria and in Iraq. Prime Minister Netanyahu cannot make this unequivocal statement, which I can.”
`We will never have a bomb’
Regarding Mughniyeh, Zarif said he was only part of the resistance to Israel. “We’re not talking about a group that came from all over the world to Syria or to Iraq to wreak havoc,” Zarif said. “We’re talking about people defending their country, defending their territory against occupation.”
The Iranian foreign minister emphasized throughout the interview that Iran is not interested in acquiring nuclear weapons and has never tried to do so.
“We never had the bomb. We will never have a bomb. We’re not looking to have a bomb,” he said. “We do not believe a bomb is in our interest. Whereas [Netanyahu] does have a bomb. He has 200 nuclear weapons.
“He has stood against a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction. … He continues to make allegations against Iran. He’s in no place to do that. He doesn’t have the authority, the moral authority, to do that.
“In 1992, he said Iran was three years away from the bomb or four years away from the bomb. In 1996, he repeated that. He said, in 2012, before the entire world, before the General Assembly of the United Nations, with that cartoon of a bomb, that Iran was a year away from making a bomb.
“Now we are in 2015 … and he’s still repeating the same lie.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations in his recent speech to the U.S. Congress that Iran wants to destroy Israel.
In an interview with NBC, Zarif said that “Iran saved the Jews three times in its history,” insinuating that Netanyahu should brush up on his history lessons.
Zarif said Netanyahu distorts both the current reality and the writings in Jewish sources and the Bible.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Netanyahu now totally distorts realities of today,” Zarif said. “He even distorts his own scripture. If you read the book of Esther, you will see that it was the Iranian king who saved the Jews. …
“It is truly, truly regrettable that bigotry gets to the point of making allegations against an entire nation which has saved Jews three times in its history: once during that time of a prime minister who was trying to kill the Jews, and the king saved the Jews; again during the time of Cyrus the Great, where he saved the Jews from Babylon, and during the Second World War, where Iran saved the Jews.”
Challenge from the reporter
Senior NBC correspondent Ann Curry, who has been covering the nuclear talks between the powers and Iran for two years, challenged Zarif with the examples that Netanyahu gave in his Congress speech.
She quoted a tweet from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: “This barbaric wolf-like and infanticidal regime of Israel which spares no crime, has no cure but to be annihilated.”
The Iranian foreign minister tried to avoid the question and claimed that Khamenei was not referring to all Jews, but the “Israeli regime” headed by Netanyahu.
“If we wanted to annihilate Jews, we have a large number of Jewish population in Iran who not only live in the country in peace, but, in fact, have a representative in Iranian parliament allocated to them, disproportionately to their number,” Zarif said.
“Every 150,000 Iranian Muslims has a representative in the parliament, whereas less than 20,000 Jews in Iran have a representative in the parliament. So we’re not about annihilation of Jews.
“We have a history of tolerance and cooperation and living together in coexistence with our own Jewish people, and with Jews everywhere in the world. If people want to espouse fear mongering to fan such hysteria in the world, that’s to their detriment.”
`The regime is a threat’
Curry repeated the question and asked Zarif to qualify the distinction between “the regime in Israel” and the Jews.
“This regime is a threat,” Zarif replied. “A regime that engages in the killing of innocent children, a regime that engages in acts of aggression. Iran has not invaded any other country. We have not threatened to use force.
“Just exactly the opposite of Israel. Israel threatens to use force against Iran almost on a daily basis. … Of course if they did use force against Iran, we would defend ourselves, as we have done with great sacrifice in the past. But we are not invading, we are not threatening anybody. We have not threatened anybody for 250 years.
“We have a record to prove of what we say. He doesn’t. He has a record full of infanticide, full of killing of innocent people, full of aggression against his neighbor, full of occupation.”
Curry continued to pressure Zarif. She reminded him that during the speech to Congress, Netanyahu accused him of laying a wreath at the grave of Hezbollah operations chief Imad Mughniyeh, who was responsible for killing hundreds of Americans.
Again, Zarif tried to avoid the question: “First of all, we have our policy differences with the United States. Secondly, I’m not running for a popularity contest in the United States [against Netanyahu].”
Replying to Netanyahu’s accusation against him, Zarif said: “He is the one visiting [Jabhat] al-Nusra (Nusra Front) terrorists in Israeli hospitals. It’s for him to respond to those allegations. We have been proven, time and again, that we have supported people who stand for justice, who stand against oppression.
“We do not support blind terrorism. We never supported groups or tendencies that commit beheading in Syria and in Iraq. Prime Minister Netanyahu cannot make this unequivocal statement, which I can.”
`We will never have a bomb’
Regarding Mughniyeh, Zarif said he was only part of the resistance to Israel. “We’re not talking about a group that came from all over the world to Syria or to Iraq to wreak havoc,” Zarif said. “We’re talking about people defending their country, defending their territory against occupation.”
The Iranian foreign minister emphasized throughout the interview that Iran is not interested in acquiring nuclear weapons and has never tried to do so.
“We never had the bomb. We will never have a bomb. We’re not looking to have a bomb,” he said. “We do not believe a bomb is in our interest. Whereas [Netanyahu] does have a bomb. He has 200 nuclear weapons.
“He has stood against a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction. … He continues to make allegations against Iran. He’s in no place to do that. He doesn’t have the authority, the moral authority, to do that.
“In 1992, he said Iran was three years away from the bomb or four years away from the bomb. In 1996, he repeated that. He said, in 2012, before the entire world, before the General Assembly of the United Nations, with that cartoon of a bomb, that Iran was a year away from making a bomb.
“Now we are in 2015 … and he’s still repeating the same lie.”
4 mar 2015
Netanyahu cited then-Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani as saying in October 1991 that "the Muslims must cooperate in the production of atomic bombs". He also quoted the vice president of Iran at the time, Akbar Rafsanjani, who said: "Iran's aim in obtaining nuclear weapons is to build together with its Muslim sisters an atomic bomb, in order to put it up against the Israeli atomic bomb."
Netanyahu, who served as a member of Knesset at the time, wrote about the Iranian regime 22 years ago, saying that "it is our duty to make sure, in advance, that it (the regime) will not obtain the tools necessary to realize its aspiration."
He added: "We can't rely on the assumption that rational considerations concerning a possible Israeli response will intimidate this fanatical mentality. Deterrence alone is not a sufficient Israeli response to the danger of the Muslim bomb. Israel must act decisively to thwart this threat that endangers our very existence."
Netanyahu called on the United States and the Western world to implement policies that will prevent Iran from acquiring technologies that could be used to develop nuclear capabilities: "Additionally, we weed to work in other arenas in order to reduce Iran's ability to build the scientific and industrial infrastructure needed to develop a nuclear bomb."
Oded Yinon from Jerusalem responded to Netanyahu with a letter to the editor, writing: "MK Benjamin Netanyahu is instilling fear in all of us with his stories about Iran's nuclear bomb and the Iranian threat. In his article, he describes a threat, which in the worst case is a potential scenario, while IDF Chief of General Staff Ehud Barak declares that presently, there is no substantial threat from Iran. International newspapers, such as Newsweek, discuss Iran's weakness in details. But Netanyahu, the Iranian affairs analyst, believes otherwise. It's his right, but why is using Iran for political gain?
In 1996, after Netanyahu was elected prime minister, Arnold Beichman, a researcher and columnist for Washington Post, wrote that Netanyahu will not hold back from striking a surprise blow against Iran. He noted that the Iranians were very close to being able to launch conventional missile attacks on Tel Aviv. "Netanyahu will not be able to ignore the Iranian threat," he wrote.
Netanyahu, who served as a member of Knesset at the time, wrote about the Iranian regime 22 years ago, saying that "it is our duty to make sure, in advance, that it (the regime) will not obtain the tools necessary to realize its aspiration."
He added: "We can't rely on the assumption that rational considerations concerning a possible Israeli response will intimidate this fanatical mentality. Deterrence alone is not a sufficient Israeli response to the danger of the Muslim bomb. Israel must act decisively to thwart this threat that endangers our very existence."
Netanyahu called on the United States and the Western world to implement policies that will prevent Iran from acquiring technologies that could be used to develop nuclear capabilities: "Additionally, we weed to work in other arenas in order to reduce Iran's ability to build the scientific and industrial infrastructure needed to develop a nuclear bomb."
Oded Yinon from Jerusalem responded to Netanyahu with a letter to the editor, writing: "MK Benjamin Netanyahu is instilling fear in all of us with his stories about Iran's nuclear bomb and the Iranian threat. In his article, he describes a threat, which in the worst case is a potential scenario, while IDF Chief of General Staff Ehud Barak declares that presently, there is no substantial threat from Iran. International newspapers, such as Newsweek, discuss Iran's weakness in details. But Netanyahu, the Iranian affairs analyst, believes otherwise. It's his right, but why is using Iran for political gain?
In 1996, after Netanyahu was elected prime minister, Arnold Beichman, a researcher and columnist for Washington Post, wrote that Netanyahu will not hold back from striking a surprise blow against Iran. He noted that the Iranians were very close to being able to launch conventional missile attacks on Tel Aviv. "Netanyahu will not be able to ignore the Iranian threat," he wrote.
1 mar 2015
Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act would Congress to receive text of any final deal with Iran, prohibit Obama from easing Iran sanctions for 60 days after deal.
United States President Barack Obama would veto a bill recently introduced in the Senate allowing Congress to weigh in on any deal the US and other negotiating countries reach with Iran on its nuclear capabilities, the White House said Saturday.
"The president has been clear that now is not the time for Congress to pass additional legislation on Iran. If this bill is sent to the president, he will veto it," said Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the White House's National Security Council.
The United States and five other major powers are seeking to negotiate an agreement with Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act would require to submit to Congress the text of any agreement within five days of concluding a final deal with Iran. The bill would also prohibit Obama from suspending or waiving sanctions on Iran passed by Congress for 60 days after a deal.
Meehan said United States "should give our negotiators the best chance of success, rather than complicating their efforts." Negotiations between the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and Iran have reached a crucial stage, with a basic framework agreement due by the end of March. Republican Senator Bob Corker, one of the bipartisan group of sponsors of the bill, said it was "disappointing that the president feels he is the only one who speaks for the citizens of our country."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to depart for the US, where he will deliver a controversial address to Congress on the Iranian deal being drafted, which he opposes.
The speech, the initiative of Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, has been roundly criticized for its timing, coming two weeks before Israel's Knesset elections, and for the fact that the White House was deliberately kept in the dark about the invitation.
United States President Barack Obama would veto a bill recently introduced in the Senate allowing Congress to weigh in on any deal the US and other negotiating countries reach with Iran on its nuclear capabilities, the White House said Saturday.
"The president has been clear that now is not the time for Congress to pass additional legislation on Iran. If this bill is sent to the president, he will veto it," said Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the White House's National Security Council.
The United States and five other major powers are seeking to negotiate an agreement with Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act would require to submit to Congress the text of any agreement within five days of concluding a final deal with Iran. The bill would also prohibit Obama from suspending or waiving sanctions on Iran passed by Congress for 60 days after a deal.
Meehan said United States "should give our negotiators the best chance of success, rather than complicating their efforts." Negotiations between the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and Iran have reached a crucial stage, with a basic framework agreement due by the end of March. Republican Senator Bob Corker, one of the bipartisan group of sponsors of the bill, said it was "disappointing that the president feels he is the only one who speaks for the citizens of our country."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to depart for the US, where he will deliver a controversial address to Congress on the Iranian deal being drafted, which he opposes.
The speech, the initiative of Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, has been roundly criticized for its timing, coming two weeks before Israel's Knesset elections, and for the fact that the White House was deliberately kept in the dark about the invitation.
28 feb 2015
Iranian FM claims Netanyahu employing 'falsification, propaganda' in attempt to prevent peace, says PM is using planned US speech to 'cover up realities in our region'.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Saturday that "scaremongering" by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won't stop the Islamic Republic and world powers from reaching a final nuclear deal.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the world should not allow the hard-line Israeli leader to undermine peace. He was referring to Netanyahu's planned speech at the US Congress next week on the emerging nuclear deal that he considers dangerous.
"Through scaremongering, falsification, propaganda and creating a false atmosphere even inside other countries, (Israel) is attempting to prevent peace," Zarif told reporters during a joint news conference Saturday with his Italian counterpart, Paolo Gentiloni. "I believe that these attempts are in vain and should not impede reaching a (nuclear) agreement."
In his sharpest criticism yet, Netanyahu said earlier this week that world powers "have given up" on stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons in ongoing negotiations. Israel views a nuclear-armed Iran as threatening its very existence.
Netanyahu's planned address has further strained his relationship with the Obama administration, as America is a key ally to Israel. Netanyahu's speech in the US also comes ahead of March elections in Israel. "Netanyahu is opposed to any solution and (his planned speech in US Congress) signifies his attempts to use an untrue issue and a fabricated crisis to cover up realities in our region, including the occupation (and) suppression of the Palestinian people, violation of rights of Palestinians and continuation of invasive policies," Zarif said.
The West fears Iran could build an atomic bomb with its nuclear program. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes such as energy production and medical research. Iran and the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany reached an interim accord in November 2013. Now, negotiators hope to reach a rough draft of a deal on Iran's disputed nuclear program by the end of March and a final agreement by June 30.
Staking out the broad outlines of a deal – without going into specifics – a US official spelled out for AFP where Washington was standing firm:
The US is pursuing a deal in which relief from international sanctions demanded by Iran "is phased in over a period of time. We are insisting on the principle that sanctions can snap back into place if Iran were to violate the agreement," the US official said.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Saturday that "scaremongering" by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won't stop the Islamic Republic and world powers from reaching a final nuclear deal.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the world should not allow the hard-line Israeli leader to undermine peace. He was referring to Netanyahu's planned speech at the US Congress next week on the emerging nuclear deal that he considers dangerous.
"Through scaremongering, falsification, propaganda and creating a false atmosphere even inside other countries, (Israel) is attempting to prevent peace," Zarif told reporters during a joint news conference Saturday with his Italian counterpart, Paolo Gentiloni. "I believe that these attempts are in vain and should not impede reaching a (nuclear) agreement."
In his sharpest criticism yet, Netanyahu said earlier this week that world powers "have given up" on stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons in ongoing negotiations. Israel views a nuclear-armed Iran as threatening its very existence.
Netanyahu's planned address has further strained his relationship with the Obama administration, as America is a key ally to Israel. Netanyahu's speech in the US also comes ahead of March elections in Israel. "Netanyahu is opposed to any solution and (his planned speech in US Congress) signifies his attempts to use an untrue issue and a fabricated crisis to cover up realities in our region, including the occupation (and) suppression of the Palestinian people, violation of rights of Palestinians and continuation of invasive policies," Zarif said.
The West fears Iran could build an atomic bomb with its nuclear program. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes such as energy production and medical research. Iran and the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany reached an interim accord in November 2013. Now, negotiators hope to reach a rough draft of a deal on Iran's disputed nuclear program by the end of March and a final agreement by June 30.
Staking out the broad outlines of a deal – without going into specifics – a US official spelled out for AFP where Washington was standing firm:
- Iran should not be allowed to develop weapons-grade plutonium at its Arak reactor. "We're discussing how Iran can convert that Arak reactor to serve a different purpose," the official said.
- Iran should not use its Fordo nuclear plant to enrich uranium.
- That would leave only Iran's Natanz plant capable of enriching uranium, which at high grades can be used in nuclear weapons.
- Any deal must ensure that it would take Iran a year to gather enough fissile material to make a bomb.
- Iran would "reduce significantly" its current number of operating centrifuges and its domestic stockpile.
- Iran must agree to unprecedented inspections of both nuclear and production facilities as well as uranium mines and mills, and suspect sites.
The US is pursuing a deal in which relief from international sanctions demanded by Iran "is phased in over a period of time. We are insisting on the principle that sanctions can snap back into place if Iran were to violate the agreement," the US official said.
Negotiations on an agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program have advanced substantially, but difficult issues remain; Kerry and US Energy Secretary Moniz to meed Iranian officials in Switzerland.
Negotiations on an agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program have advanced substantially, but difficult issues remain and a senior US official said he did not expect a deal in the coming week.
US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will join in talks next week between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Montreux, Switzerland, the official told a small group of reporters.
"Obviously, the negotiations have advanced substantially, gaps have narrowed, but we really don't know if we will be able to close a good deal," said the official, who asked not to be named. "There are still difficult issues. There are still gaps." The United States and five major powers are seeking a deal under which Iran would restrain its nuclear program in exchange for the gradual easing of economic sanctions that have crippled the oil exporter's economy.
Washington and some of its allies believe Iran is seeking to develop an atomic bomb, which they regard as a direct threat to Israel as well as to Arab allies of the United States. Iran says its program is solely for peaceful purposes such as power generation. The two sides are working toward a deadline of the end of March, by which US officials have said they want a political framework agreement in place. That would be followed up by a full, technical deal that would be spelled out by June 30.
Asked if a political deal was possible in the next week, the US official replied: "I would not expect in the coming week."
Negotiations on an agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program have advanced substantially, but difficult issues remain and a senior US official said he did not expect a deal in the coming week.
US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will join in talks next week between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Montreux, Switzerland, the official told a small group of reporters.
"Obviously, the negotiations have advanced substantially, gaps have narrowed, but we really don't know if we will be able to close a good deal," said the official, who asked not to be named. "There are still difficult issues. There are still gaps." The United States and five major powers are seeking a deal under which Iran would restrain its nuclear program in exchange for the gradual easing of economic sanctions that have crippled the oil exporter's economy.
Washington and some of its allies believe Iran is seeking to develop an atomic bomb, which they regard as a direct threat to Israel as well as to Arab allies of the United States. Iran says its program is solely for peaceful purposes such as power generation. The two sides are working toward a deadline of the end of March, by which US officials have said they want a political framework agreement in place. That would be followed up by a full, technical deal that would be spelled out by June 30.
Asked if a political deal was possible in the next week, the US official replied: "I would not expect in the coming week."