Barack Obama says historic agreement with Iran meets core objectives

By The Guardian

Barack Obama has praised a “historic agreement” over Iran’s nuclear programme, shortly after a tentative framework was announced that would lift international sanctions on Iran in exchange for new limits on Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

In remarks delivered from the Rose Garden at the White House, a defiant Obama characterised the deal as “the best option so far” to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. But Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu was fiercely critical, telling Obama that his country “vehemently opposes” the deal.

“This has been a long time coming,” Obama said. “It is a good deal, a deal that meets our core objectives … If this framework leads to a final, comprehensive deal, it will make our country, our allies and our world safer.”

The framework, the culmination of marathon talks between world leaders in Lausanne, provides the basis for a more comprehensive nuclear agreement that is to be reached by 30 June.

Obama acknowledged the work was far from complete and that there would be “a robust debate in the weeks and months to come”. But he emphasised the need to resolve the matter through diplomacy, and said that pulling out now would risk another military conflict in the Middle East.

“If we can get this done, and Iran follows through on the framework that our negotiators agreed to, we will be able to resolve one of the greatest threats to our security, and to do so peacefully,” Obama said.

Under the tentative agreement, restrictions will be placed on Iran’s enrichment of nuclear material so that it cannot lead to atomic weapons. In return, the US and European Union will terminate all nuclear-related economic sanctions on Iran once the UN nuclear agency confirms that Iran has complied.

The White House said Obama spoke separately on Wednesday with François Hollande, Angela Merkel and David Cameron to discuss the framework. The leaders agreed that while nothing is final, the framework represents “significant progress”, the White House said.

Back home, Obama faces mounting opposition from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, particularly Republicans who control both chambers of Congress. In recent months, the GOP has sought to undermine the talks while positioning itself as a close ally of Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu – who has been at loggerheads with Obama over US efforts to secure a nuclear deal with Iran’s.

Obama phoned Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss the nuclear agreement, according to the White House. In a statement, a spokesperson said that the Obama emphasised that the US “remains steadfast in [its] commitment to the security of Israel.”

Netanyahu told Obama that Israel “vehemently opposes” the framework deal. In a statement released after his conversation with the US president he said: “A deal that is based on this framework will threaten Israel’s existence ... The alternative is to stand firmly and increase pressure on Iran until a better deal is reached.” The Israeli PM is convening senior ministers on Friday to discuss the deal.

During his speech, Obama took a thinly veiled shot at Republicans over a letter 47 of their senators sent to the Iranian leadership warning that any deal could be overturned by Congress or a future president. “This is not simply a deal between my administration and Iran,” Obama said. “The issues at stake are bigger than politics,” Obama said. “These are matters of war and peace.”

Obama also addressed criticism that concessions have largely been one-sided, favouring only Iran.

“Iran is not going to simply dismantle its programme because we demand it to do so. That’s not how the world works, and that’s not what history shows us,” Obama said, adding that if the US rejected what “the majority of the world considers a fair deal”, it would be doubtful that the country could even keep in place its current international sanctions.

In a further nod to his sceptics, Obama pointed out that Iran will face “the most robust and intrusive inspections and transparency regime ever negotiated for any nuclear programme in history”.

“If Iran cheats, the world will know it,” he said. “This deal is not based on trust. It’s based on unprecedented verification.”

Amid criticism that his administration has not adequately engaged US lawmakers on the negotiations, Obama said he planned to speak with congressional leaders and would welcome cooperation from Congress. But he implored legislators to act in the interest of national security, and not politics.

“If Congress kills this deal, not based on expert analysis and without offering any reasonable alternative, then it is the United States that will be blamed for the failure of diplomacy,” Obama said. “International unity will collapse and the path to conflict will widen.”

Republicans showed little interest in heeding Obama’s call, offering swift criticism of the framework and signalling a battle ahead. “The parameters for a final deal represent an alarming departure from the White House’s initial goals,” John Boehner, the House speaker, said in a statement. “My longtime concerns about the parameters of this potential agreement remain, but my immediate concern is the administration signalling it will provide near-term sanctions relief. Congress must be allowed to fully review the details of any agreement before any sanctions are lifted.”

Boehner, who recently led a GOP delegation to the Middle East to meet with allies in the region, added that “it would be naive to suggest the Iranian regime will not continue to use its nuclear programme, and any economic relief, to further destabilise the region.”

Democrats also remained circumspect of the deal but reserved judgment pending further review of the details. Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, said he had spoken with Obama and was “cautiously optimistic” about the framework. “We must always remain vigilant about preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon but there is no question that a diplomatic solution is vastly preferable to the alternatives,” Reid said in a statement. “Now is the time for thoughtful consideration, not rash action that could undermine the prospects for success.”