Israel Matzav

Kerry: 'Demanding Iran's capitulation is no way to secure a nuclear deal'

Simply demanding Iran's capitulation is no way to get a nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday as he wrapped up three days of talks with a veiled dig at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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“No one has presented a more viable, lasting alternative for how you actually prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. So folks, simply demanding that Iran capitulate is not a plan. And nor would any of our P5+1 partners support us in that position.”

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Netanyahu has called for the powers to insist Iran dismantle its nuclear infrastructure and change what he described as its "aggressive" regional posture -- an idea swiftly rejected by the Obama administration as equivalent to seeking "regime change" in Tehran. Israel and Iran have been arch-enemies since 1979.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, elected in 2013 on a platform of easing Iran's isolation abroad through diplomacy and a removal of sanctions imposed on it, said Tehran was prepared to accept greater nuclear scrutiny as part of a deal. 

"If the basis of these negotiations is for increased transparency, we will accept greater transparency," he said in a statement. "But if the negotiations are trying to prevent the people of Iran from (enjoying) their inalienable right, in other words advancement in science and technology, it is very natural that Iran will not accept such an understanding or agreement."

Labels: dumb diplomacy, Iranian nuclear threat, John Kerry

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:04 AM