[Video below.] Secretary of State John Kerry sought to assure Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that Iran will not be allowed to cheat on any agreement to curtail its nuclear program.
Kerry and Netanyahu met in Rome today amid tension between the two allied nations over the direction of negotiations to determine the future extent of Iranian nuclear activity, which the U.S. and Israel suspect is being used to develop nuclear weapons capability.
“We will need to know that actions are being taken that make it crystal clear, undeniably clear, failsafe to the world, that whatever program is pursued is indeed a peaceful program,” Kerry said before the two met at the U.S. ambassador’s residence. Netanyahu said it would be a “tragic mistake” to ease pressure before Iran agrees to dismantle its nuclear program.
Talks have accelerated between Iran and a group of world powers, including the U.S. and Russia, to reach agreement on measures that would show the Iranian program is meant purely for peaceful purposes, as has repeatedly been stated by officials from the Persian Gulf nation. Netanyahu has been the most forceful voice against allowing Iran to continue with uranium enrichment, saying even low-level enrichment could be diverted to weapons production.
Netanyahu took preemptive action before the meeting with a Twitter message that any softening of sanctions against Iran would sap Israel’s willingness to make compromises in the Middle East peace process.
Kerry said, “We do welcome the change of rhetoric, the change of tone, the diplomatic opening that the Iranians have offered…[But] “we are adamant that words are no substitute for actions…
“We will need to know that actions are being taken which make it crystal clear, undeniably clear, failsafe to the world that whatever program is pursued is indeed a peaceful program,” said Kerry, referring to the possibility that the sanctions on Iran will be eased…
“No deal is better than a bad deal,” he said, adding, “President Obama has made it very clear he will pursue a diplomatic initiative, but with eyes wide open.”
Netanyahu told Kerry, “The foremost security problem that we face as you said is Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons. Preventing that is a goal I share with you and President Obama, and you have said, I think wisely, that Iran must not have a nuclear weapons capability, which means that they shouldn’t have centrifuges or enrichment. They shouldn’t have a plutonium heavy water plant, which is used only for nuclear weapons. They should get rid of the advanced fissile material and they shouldn’t have underground nuclear facilities, underground for one reason – for military purposes.
“I think you’re right. I think no deal is better than a bad deal. I think a partial deal that leaves Iran with these capabilities is a bad deal. You wisely insisted there wouldn’t be a partial deal with Syria. You were right,” said Netanyahu, adding that “in the case of Iran, it is essential that it be made to live up to Security Council resolutions that demand an end to enrichment and enrichment capability and an end to plutonium heavy water capability toward fissile material for nuclear weapons….
“[Peace] is premised on mutual recognition, of two states for two peoples, of the Palestinian state for the Palestinian people mirrored by the Jewish state for the Jewish people. I think that’s fundamental for any peace, but equally it must be a peace that, as President Obama has said, a peace that Israel can defend by itself, for itself, against any conceivable threat. I think these are the two twin pillars for peace and I look forward to discussing how we can advance both goals in our discussions today and undoubtedly our discussions tomorrow as well.”
Click below for video of the meeting:
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{Andy Heller-Matzav.com Newscenter}
Assurances from Uncle Lurch, who never realized that his parents were mshumadim. I read his statement about states accepting nuclear nonproliferation status as a red flag for Israel. Was this what Iran’s whole ploy was really about? “We’ll give ours up together.” And Costello (B.N.) flies to Rome, (forced?) to play this stunt. Yitzchok Avinu gave up the seven wells, but didn’t have to bless the Plishtim. Ma’asei abos NOT learned by this son of a “great historian”.