FM slams deal with Iran: ‘We’re entering new era’

State of Israel will have to think things over,’ FM Lieberman says of deal, claiming ‘acceptance of right to enrichment opens arms race’ with Iran. According to him, deal dangerous not only for Israel, but also for Egypt, Turkey, Gulf states. Lapid, Bennett, PMO echo claims.
After weeks of an intensive campaign to dissuade Western powers from striking a deal with Iran failed to yield a result as world powers reached an agreement Sunday, Israel remained on the offensive.
Sunday morning, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said « there is no achievement in the is agreement. This is the biggest diplomatic victory Iran has known in recent years – since the Khameini regime (came to power). » When asked if the deal contains any positive aspect, Lieberman replied « no, there is no such thing. »
The tone was echoed by a government spokesperson who said « This is a bad deal. It gives Iran exactly what it wanted – a significant reduction of sanctions while preserving the most significant part of its nuclear program, » a official from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office said.

צילום: רויטרס

 

Arak reactor (Photo: Gettyimages)
« The agreement allows Iran to continue to enrich uranium, leaves the centrifuges in place and allows it to produce fissile material for a nuclear weapon. The accord did not lead to the dismantling of the Arak plant… (while) Economic pressure on Iran could have produced a much better agreement that would have led to a dismantling of Iran’s nuclear capacities, » the statment added.
« Israel does not see itself as bound by this bad, this very bad agreement that has been signed, » Economy Minister Naftali Bennett added.
New era
According to Lieberman, « We are entering a new era – the State of Israel will have to think things over. »
« It is clear that this deal acknowledges the right of Iran to enrich uranium. This very recognition brings us to a nuclear arming race. The Iranians were rewarded, » the newly reinstated foreign minister said.
Lieberman reminded that the UN’s atomic watchdog has already reported that « Iran disregards Security Council resolutions, and has noted numerous issues with its military program. »

Lieberman added that « it will be very interesting to see how the Saudis and their pundits react. Not for nothing, yesterday (Saturday) a summit was held between Gulf states. This (enrichment) is the most problematic issue for us, as it is for Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt – no one will sit on the sidelines clapping and cheering. »
He further warned that « all these countries will now join the (arms) race. There is no doubt that the Saudis, Egyptians and Turks will now begin speaking in the same terminology (used by Iran) – nuclear program for peaceful purposes, nuclear energy, but they will do exactly what Iran did. »
According to the foreign minister, « Iran is now on the verge. There are many countries on the (nuclear) verge, Germany and Japan for example, but now one is concerned, despite the fact that they have all the information and technology needed. The reason is that they have responsible and peaceful leadership. We know exactly what leadership Iran has – they continue terror activities against Jews and Israel, they’re involved in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. »
When asked whether the deal pushes Israel towards a possible attack on Iran, Lieberman responded that « we are entering a new world. »
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni addressed the deal during a special Ynet broadcast: « This is a terrible deal that will threaten not only us, but the entire world. We must now act decisively with the US and our allies in order to try and improve positions towards the next agreement, if one will indeed be signed, and create a political front so that Iran would not be perceived as legitimate. »

Bad deal

Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said that « This agreement is still bad and will make it more difficult than before to achieve an appropriate solution in the future, » he said. He compared it to a failed 2007 international deal with North Korea and said it « is more likely to bring Iran closer to having a bomb. »« Israel cannot participate in the international celebration, which is based on Iranian deception and (international) self-delusion, » said Steinitz, whose responsibilities include monitoring Iran’s nuclear program.But Steinitz indicated an Israeli attack is not in the works for the time being.
« Despite our disappointment, we will remain steadfast in our position and work with our friends and allies in the United States and the rest of the world in an attempt to achieve a comprehensive solution which includes a full and genuine dismantling of Iran’s military infrastructure, » he said.

Blue in the face

A senior US official said the agreement halted progress on Iran’s nuclear programme, including construction of the Arak research reactor, which is of special concern for the West as it can yield potential bomb material.

It would neutralise Iran’s stockpile of uranium refined to a fissile concentration of 20%, which is a close step away from the level needed for weapons, and calls for intrusive UN nuclear inspections, the official said.
The Islamic republic denies its nuclear programme has hostile designs and has also committed to stop uranium enrichment above a fissile purity of 5%, a US fact sheet said. But that still appeared to fall far short of Netanyahu’s demand for a total rollback of the Iranian nuclear program.
« You stand and shout out until you’re blue in the face, and you try to understand why they’re not listening. The world wanted an agreement, » Finance Minister Yair Lapid, a member of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, told Israel’s Army Radio.

« We also said that a diplomatic accord would be good. A diplomatic accord is certainly better than war, a diplomatic accord is better than a situation of permanent confrontation – just not this agreement. »Lapid said that in the Israel had to pore over the deal: « For example, we still don’t understand exactly what stepping up the monitoring (on Iran’s facilities) means. This is a detailed matter. God really is in the small details. »

Islamic republic’s organization for atomic energy announces construction of second, third nuclear power stations. Reports suggest new facilities will not bear capability of producing putonium. Nuclear talks yet to determine status of Tehran’s purportedly peaceful nuclear development

Deputy Chief of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Hossein Khalfi said Saturday that Tehran has put construction of the second and third nuclear power stations, Fars news agency reported Saturday.According to the report, Khalifi announced the two more power stations’ construction during the opening ceremony of the 25th Exhibition of Iran’s Nuclear Industry Achievements, saying the construction was in line with instructions laid by President Hassan Rohani.
The deputy chief noted that Iran was doing well in terms of its nuclear power plants construction, adding “We have launched the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and handed it over to the country’s experts in the past two months.”
According to Khalfi, the launching of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant prevents the flow of pollutants, thereby saving the republic some $700 million as well as minimizing pollution.
« Once the control of the Bushehr nuclear power plant is delivered to the Iranian experts in the next two months, the plant will start industrial operation phase, » Fars quoted Khalifi as saying.
The announcement suggests that the new nuclear power stations will not be using heavy water, meaning that they will be unable to produce plutonium.
Tehran denies it would ever « weaponize » enrichment.

Diplomats said a formidable stumbling block in the nuclear negotiations, which began on Wednesday in Geneva, may have been settled with compromise language that does not explicitly recognize Iran’s claim to a « right to enrich » uranium but acknowledges all countries’ right to their own civilian nuclear energy.

Diplomats said revised wording did not explicitly recognize a right to produce nuclear fuel. « If you speak about the right to a peaceful nuclear program, that’s open to interpretation, » a diplomat said.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: « Enrichment in Iran will not stop and … enrichment will be a part of any agreement. »
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters on Saturday that « In the past 10 years, Iran has resisted economic and political pressures and sanctions aimed at abandoning its enrichment activities.
« Therefore any agreement without recognizing Iran’s right to enrich, practically and verbally, will be unacceptable for Tehran, » he said on the fourth day of talks aimed at securing a deal that would freeze parts of Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Araqchi said that « 98% progress » had been achieved in the talks with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, adding there were only a few areas of disagreement remaining.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is coordinating the talks with Iran on behalf of the six nations, held « intensive discussions » with Zarif throughout Saturday and later briefed the other foreign ministers about their talks. Israel says the deal being offered would give Iran more time for to master nuclear technology and amass potential bomb fuel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told local media in Moscow that Iran was essentially given an « unbelievable Christmas present – the capacity to maintain this (nuclear) breakout capability for practically no concessions at all ».

New NYT report reveals details from looming nuclear deal with Iran. Nonetheless, Iranian FM says Iran will not bow to ‘excessive demands’, British FM claims ‘important gaps’ still exist

As the world’s top foreign ministers decended on Geneva, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said nuclear talks with the major powers had entered a critical stage Saturday and warned that Tehran would not bow to « excessive demands. »
Meanwhile, a report by the New York Times report revealed an outline of the deal currently being worked out between Iran and world powers in the fourth day of the second round of nuclear talks.
« We have now entered a very difficult stage… that requires the presence of foreign ministers, » Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif told state television.

The arrival of the top diplomats from Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany « shows the seriousness of the talks, » he added. Negotiators in Geneva have expressed hope of reaching an agreement while admitting difficulties remain.
According to the report, which cites an unnamed senior official diplomatic source, « I ran would eliminate its current stock of uranium enriched to 20% by diluting it or turning it into fuel rods or oxide powder, forms that are unusable for weapons. »
A hint at what these difficulties could be was published in a report by the New York Times Saturday morning detailing the pending agreement.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that « There are narrow gaps, but they are important gaps. » German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle echoed the claim, saying « It’s not a done deal. There’s a realistic chance, but there’s a lot of work to be done. »

The paper further claimed that Iran would be permitted to continue with its uranium enrichment to a level of 3.5% but would agree to limit the its current supply of uranium by either destroying, or diluting or converting it into fuel.
The proposal, the NYT report stipulets, is an attempt to compromise with Iran over its demand to continue to enrich uranium while still preventing the uranium enrichment to reach weapon-ready levels.
Back in Geneva, Zarif said his team was insisting on Iran’s « rights, » saying: « We are not prepared to commit to any (deal) that damages Iran’s rights and interests. « 
A sticking point is Iran’s insistence that its « right » to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes be recognized in any deal, even though such a right is not explicitly set out in the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

« In any agreement, enrichment in Iran will not be suspended, » Zarif said, adding that « a very difficult task » still lay ahead in clinching a deal.

« We will definitely oppose excessive demands, » he said.

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