|
 In a first concrete sign of European determination to quickly
rebuild economic and political ties with Iran after a 12-year
standoff, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel arrived in Tehran
with an economic delegation. Other European powers were expected to
follow.
Obama has promised to exercise his veto if Congress rejects the
deal, which curbs Iran's nuclear program while allowing an easing of
economic sanctions.
Overriding it would require a two-thirds majority of both the House
of Representatives and Senate, so the administration is working to
win over enough of Obama's fellow Democrats to offset strong
Republican opposition.
In an unusual move, Obama took three Democratic congressman golfing
with him: Joe Courtney of Connecticut, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado and
John Yarmuth of Kentucky. The president more often taps aides and
friends for weekend golfing.
"I think the right thing to do is merely not to go ahead
with this deal," Netanyahu said on CBS's "Face the Nation" as he
continued a string of U.S. media interviews denouncing the deal
reached on Tuesday between Iran and six major powers.
"There are many things to be done to stop Iran's aggression and this
deal is not one of them," he said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, arriving in Israel on the first
visit by a U.S. cabinet official since the agreement, told reporters
on his aircraft: "I'm not going to change anybody's mind in Israel.
That's not the purpose of my trip.
"Friends can disagree but we have decades of rock-solid
cooperation with Israel."
Carter is also touring Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which both eye the
prospect of increasing Iranian influence in the region with some
suspicion.
IRANIAN RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL
Tehran denies Western and Israeli accusations it has been using a
research program as cover for ambitions to develop atomic weapons.
President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday he expected the deal would
lead to closer relations with Tehran's neighbors in the Gulf region,
while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran remained at
odds with the West.
It was on Khamenei's words that Netanyahu seized, speaking to his
cabinet on Sunday.
[to top of second column] |
"The Iranians are not even trying to hide the fact they will take
advantage of the hundreds of billions they will receive via the
agreement to arm their terror machine," he said. "And they say
explicitly they will continue their struggle against the United
States and its allies, Israel of course above all."
Germany's Gabriel, due to meet President Hassan Rouhani and several
ministers, told German newspaper Bild he would use his three-day
trip to suggest Germany could serve as a mediator between Iran and
arch-enemy Israel. He said he would insist the Iranian government
recognize Israel's right to exist.
"Really stable, good relationships with Germany will only be able to
develop if this is accepted in Iranian politics. I will keep making
that clear during my trip to Iran," Gabriel said in comments due to
be published on Monday.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said world powers could now
press Tehran on other issues such as its involvement in Syria in
support of President Bashar al-Assad. "We shouldn't be naïve or
starry eyed in any way about the regime that we're dealing with," he
said in an interview with NBC News.
Opponents of the deal argue it does not provide enough supervision
of Iran's nuclear program.
Secretary of State John Kerry, who led the U.S. delegation to the
talks with Iran, was asked on “Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace”
why the deal did not provide for inspections anywhere anytime.
“The fact is, that in arms control, there is no country anywhere on
this planet that has ‘anywhere, anytime’," he said. "There is no
such standard. There is no such standard within arms control
inspections."
(Additional reporting Michael Flaherty in Washington, Alex Wilts,
Phil Stewart in Tel Aviv; Writing by Ralph Boulton)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
