White
House
web
site-July
14,
2015The
White House-Office of the Press Secretary
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON IRAN
State Floor
**Please see below for a correction,
marked with an asterisk.
7:02 A.M. EDT
THE
PRESIDENT: Today, after two years of negotiations, the United
States, together with our international partners, has achieved
something that decades of animosity has not -- a comprehensive,
long-term deal with Iran that will prevent it from obtaining a nuclear
weapon.
This deal demonstrates that American diplomacy can bring about real and meaningful change -- change that makes our country, and the world, safer and more secure. This deal is also in line with a tradition of American leadership. It’s now more than 50 years since President Kennedy stood before the American people and said, “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” He was speaking then about the need for discussions between the United States and the Soviet Union, which led to efforts to restrict the spread of nuclear weapons.
In those days, the risk was a catastrophic nuclear war between two super powers. In our time, the risk is that nuclear weapons will spread to more and more countries, particularly in the Middle East, the most volatile region in our world.
Today, because America negotiated from a position of strength and principle, we have stopped the spread of nuclear weapons in this region. Because of this deal, the international community will be able to verify that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not develop a nuclear weapon.
This deal meets every single one of the bottom lines that we established when we achieved a framework earlier this spring. Every pathway to a nuclear weapon is cut off. And the inspection and transparency regime necessary to verify that objective will be put in place. Because of this deal, Iran will not produce the highly enriched uranium and weapons-grade plutonium that form the raw materials necessary for a nuclear bomb.
Because of this deal, Iran will remove two-thirds of its installed centrifuges -- the machines necessary to produce highly enriched uranium for a bomb -- and store them under constant international supervision. Iran will not use its advanced centrifuges to produce enriched uranium for the next decade. Iran will also get rid of 98 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium.
To put that in perspective, Iran currently has a stockpile that could produce up to 10 nuclear weapons. Because of this deal, that stockpile will be reduced to a fraction of what would be required for a single weapon. This stockpile limitation will last for 15 years.
Because of this deal, Iran will modify the core of its reactor in Arak so that it will not produce weapons-grade plutonium. And it has agreed to ship the spent fuel from the reactor out of the country for the lifetime of the reactor. For at least the next 15 years, Iran will not build any new heavy-water reactors.
Because of this deal, we will, for the first time, be in a position to verify all of these commitments. That means this deal is not built on trust; it is built on verification. Inspectors will have 24/7 access to Iran’s key nuclear facilities.
*Iran [Inspectors] will have access to Iran’s entire nuclear supply chain -- its uranium mines and mills, its conversion facility, and its centrifuge manufacturing and storage facilities. This ensures that Iran will not be able to divert materials from known facilities to covert ones. Some of these transparency measures will be in place for 25 years.
Because of this deal, inspectors will also be able to access any suspicious location. Put simply, the organization responsible for the inspections, the IAEA, will have access where necessary, when necessary. That arrangement is permanent. And the IAEA has also reached an agreement with Iran to get access that it needs to complete its investigation into the possible military dimensions of Iran’s past nuclear research.
Finally, Iran is permanently prohibited from pursuing a nuclear weapon under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which provided the basis for the international community’s efforts to apply pressure on Iran.
As Iran takes steps to implement this deal, it will receive relief from the sanctions that we put in place because of Iran’s nuclear program -- both America’s own sanctions and sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council. This relief will be phased in. Iran must complete key nuclear steps before it begins to receive new sanctions relief. And over the course of the next decade, Iran must abide by the deal before additional sanctions are lifted, including five years for restrictions related to arms, and eight years for restrictions related to ballistic missiles.
All of this will be memorialized and endorsed in a new United Nations Security Council resolution. And if Iran violates the deal, all of these sanctions will snap back into place. So there’s a very clear incentive for Iran to follow through, and there are very real consequences for a violation.
That's the deal. It has the full backing of the international community. Congress will now have an opportunity to review the details, and my administration stands ready to provide extensive briefings on how this will move forward.
As the American people and Congress review the deal, it will be important to consider the alternative. Consider what happens in a world without this deal. Without this deal, there is no scenario where the world joins us in sanctioning Iran until it completely dismantles its nuclear program. Nothing we know about the Iranian government suggests that it would simply capitulate under that kind of pressure. And the world would not support an effort to permanently sanction Iran into submission. We put sanctions in place to get a diplomatic resolution, and that is what we have done.
Without this deal, there would be no agreed-upon limitations for the Iranian nuclear program. Iran could produce, operate and test more and more centrifuges. Iran could fuel a reactor capable of producing plutonium for a bomb. And we would not have any of the inspections that allow us to detect a covert nuclear weapons program. In other words, no deal means no lasting constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.
Such a scenario would make it more likely that other countries in the region would feel compelled to pursue their own nuclear programs, threatening a nuclear arms race in the most volatile region of the world. It would also present the United States with fewer and less effective options to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
I've been President and Commander-in-Chief for over six years now. Time and again, I have faced decisions about whether or not to use military force. It's the gravest decision that any President has to make. Many times, in multiple countries, I have decided to use force. And I will never hesitate to do so when it is in our national security interest. I strongly believe that our national security interest now depends upon preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon -- which means that without a diplomatic resolution, either I or a future U.S. President would face a decision about whether or not to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon or whether to use our military to stop it.
Put simply, no deal means a greater chance of more war in the Middle East. Moreover, we give nothing up by testing whether or not this problem can be solved peacefully. If, in a worst-case scenario, Iran violates the deal, the same options that are available to me today will be available to any U.S. President in the future. And I have no doubt that 10 or 15 years from now, the person who holds this office will be in a far stronger position with Iran further away from a weapon and with the inspections and transparency that allow us to monitor the Iranian program.
For this reason, I believe it would be irresponsible to walk away from this deal. But on such a tough issue, it is important that the American people and their representatives in Congress get a full opportunity to review the deal. After all, the details matter. And we've had some of the finest nuclear scientists in the world working through those details. And we're dealing with a country -- Iran -- that has been a sworn adversary of the United States for over 35 years. So I welcome a robust debate in Congress on this issue, and I welcome scrutiny of the details of this agreement.
But I will remind Congress that you don't make deals like this with your friends. We negotiated arms control agreements with the Soviet Union when that nation was committed to our destruction. And those agreements ultimately made us safer.
I am confident that this deal will meet the national security interest of the United States and our allies. So I will veto any legislation that prevents the successful implementation of this deal.
We do not have to accept an inevitable spiral into conflict. And we certainly shouldn’t seek it. And precisely because the stakes are so high, this is not the time for politics or posturing. Tough talk from Washington does not solve problems. Hard-nosed diplomacy, leadership that has united the world’s major powers offers a more effective way to verify that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Now, that doesn’t mean that this deal will resolve all of our differences with Iran. We share the concerns expressed by many of our friends in the Middle East, including Israel and the Gulf States, about Iran’s support for terrorism and its use of proxies to destabilize the region. But that is precisely why we are taking this step -- because an Iran armed with a nuclear weapon would be far more destabilizing and far more dangerous to our friends and to the world.
Meanwhile, we will maintain our own sanctions related to Iran’s support for terrorism, its ballistic missile program, and its human rights violations. We will continue our unprecedented efforts to strengthen Israel’s security -- efforts that go beyond what any American administration has done before. And we will continue the work we began at Camp David to elevate our partnership with the Gulf States to strengthen their capabilities to counter threats from Iran or terrorist groups like ISIL.
However, I believe that we must continue to test whether or not this region, which has known so much suffering, so much bloodshed, can move in a different direction.
Time and again, I have made clear to the Iranian people that we will always be open to engagement on the basis of mutual interests and mutual respect. Our differences are real and the difficult history between our nations cannot be ignored. But it is possible to change. The path of violence and rigid ideology, a foreign policy based on threats to attack your neighbors or eradicate Israel -- that's a dead end. A different path, one of tolerance and peaceful resolution of conflict, leads to more integration into the global economy, more engagement with the international community, and the ability of the Iranian people to prosper and thrive.
This deal offers an opportunity to move in a new direction. We should seize it.
We have come a long way to reach this point -- decades of an Iranian nuclear program, many years of sanctions, and many months of intense negotiation. Today, I want to thank the members of Congress from both parties who helped us put in place the sanctions that have proven so effective, as well as the other countries who joined us in that effort.
I want to thank our negotiating partners -- the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China, as well as the European Union -- for our unity in this effort, which showed that the world can do remarkable things when we share a vision of peacefully addressing conflicts. We showed what we can do when we do not split apart.
And finally, I want to thank the American negotiating team. We had a team of experts working for several weeks straight on this, including our Secretary of Energy, Ernie Moniz. And I want to particularly thank John Kerry, our Secretary of State, who began his service to this country more than four decades ago when he put on our uniform and went off to war. He’s now making this country safer through his commitment to strong, principled American diplomacy.
History shows that America must lead not just with our might, but with our principles. It shows we are stronger not when we are alone, but when we bring the world together. Today’s announcement marks one more chapter in this pursuit of a safer and more helpful and more hopeful world.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
END 7:17 A.M. EDT
This deal demonstrates that American diplomacy can bring about real and meaningful change -- change that makes our country, and the world, safer and more secure. This deal is also in line with a tradition of American leadership. It’s now more than 50 years since President Kennedy stood before the American people and said, “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” He was speaking then about the need for discussions between the United States and the Soviet Union, which led to efforts to restrict the spread of nuclear weapons.
In those days, the risk was a catastrophic nuclear war between two super powers. In our time, the risk is that nuclear weapons will spread to more and more countries, particularly in the Middle East, the most volatile region in our world.
Today, because America negotiated from a position of strength and principle, we have stopped the spread of nuclear weapons in this region. Because of this deal, the international community will be able to verify that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not develop a nuclear weapon.
This deal meets every single one of the bottom lines that we established when we achieved a framework earlier this spring. Every pathway to a nuclear weapon is cut off. And the inspection and transparency regime necessary to verify that objective will be put in place. Because of this deal, Iran will not produce the highly enriched uranium and weapons-grade plutonium that form the raw materials necessary for a nuclear bomb.
Because of this deal, Iran will remove two-thirds of its installed centrifuges -- the machines necessary to produce highly enriched uranium for a bomb -- and store them under constant international supervision. Iran will not use its advanced centrifuges to produce enriched uranium for the next decade. Iran will also get rid of 98 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium.
To put that in perspective, Iran currently has a stockpile that could produce up to 10 nuclear weapons. Because of this deal, that stockpile will be reduced to a fraction of what would be required for a single weapon. This stockpile limitation will last for 15 years.
Because of this deal, Iran will modify the core of its reactor in Arak so that it will not produce weapons-grade plutonium. And it has agreed to ship the spent fuel from the reactor out of the country for the lifetime of the reactor. For at least the next 15 years, Iran will not build any new heavy-water reactors.
Because of this deal, we will, for the first time, be in a position to verify all of these commitments. That means this deal is not built on trust; it is built on verification. Inspectors will have 24/7 access to Iran’s key nuclear facilities.
*Iran [Inspectors] will have access to Iran’s entire nuclear supply chain -- its uranium mines and mills, its conversion facility, and its centrifuge manufacturing and storage facilities. This ensures that Iran will not be able to divert materials from known facilities to covert ones. Some of these transparency measures will be in place for 25 years.
Because of this deal, inspectors will also be able to access any suspicious location. Put simply, the organization responsible for the inspections, the IAEA, will have access where necessary, when necessary. That arrangement is permanent. And the IAEA has also reached an agreement with Iran to get access that it needs to complete its investigation into the possible military dimensions of Iran’s past nuclear research.
Finally, Iran is permanently prohibited from pursuing a nuclear weapon under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which provided the basis for the international community’s efforts to apply pressure on Iran.
As Iran takes steps to implement this deal, it will receive relief from the sanctions that we put in place because of Iran’s nuclear program -- both America’s own sanctions and sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council. This relief will be phased in. Iran must complete key nuclear steps before it begins to receive new sanctions relief. And over the course of the next decade, Iran must abide by the deal before additional sanctions are lifted, including five years for restrictions related to arms, and eight years for restrictions related to ballistic missiles.
All of this will be memorialized and endorsed in a new United Nations Security Council resolution. And if Iran violates the deal, all of these sanctions will snap back into place. So there’s a very clear incentive for Iran to follow through, and there are very real consequences for a violation.
That's the deal. It has the full backing of the international community. Congress will now have an opportunity to review the details, and my administration stands ready to provide extensive briefings on how this will move forward.
As the American people and Congress review the deal, it will be important to consider the alternative. Consider what happens in a world without this deal. Without this deal, there is no scenario where the world joins us in sanctioning Iran until it completely dismantles its nuclear program. Nothing we know about the Iranian government suggests that it would simply capitulate under that kind of pressure. And the world would not support an effort to permanently sanction Iran into submission. We put sanctions in place to get a diplomatic resolution, and that is what we have done.
Without this deal, there would be no agreed-upon limitations for the Iranian nuclear program. Iran could produce, operate and test more and more centrifuges. Iran could fuel a reactor capable of producing plutonium for a bomb. And we would not have any of the inspections that allow us to detect a covert nuclear weapons program. In other words, no deal means no lasting constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.
Such a scenario would make it more likely that other countries in the region would feel compelled to pursue their own nuclear programs, threatening a nuclear arms race in the most volatile region of the world. It would also present the United States with fewer and less effective options to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
I've been President and Commander-in-Chief for over six years now. Time and again, I have faced decisions about whether or not to use military force. It's the gravest decision that any President has to make. Many times, in multiple countries, I have decided to use force. And I will never hesitate to do so when it is in our national security interest. I strongly believe that our national security interest now depends upon preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon -- which means that without a diplomatic resolution, either I or a future U.S. President would face a decision about whether or not to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon or whether to use our military to stop it.
Put simply, no deal means a greater chance of more war in the Middle East. Moreover, we give nothing up by testing whether or not this problem can be solved peacefully. If, in a worst-case scenario, Iran violates the deal, the same options that are available to me today will be available to any U.S. President in the future. And I have no doubt that 10 or 15 years from now, the person who holds this office will be in a far stronger position with Iran further away from a weapon and with the inspections and transparency that allow us to monitor the Iranian program.
For this reason, I believe it would be irresponsible to walk away from this deal. But on such a tough issue, it is important that the American people and their representatives in Congress get a full opportunity to review the deal. After all, the details matter. And we've had some of the finest nuclear scientists in the world working through those details. And we're dealing with a country -- Iran -- that has been a sworn adversary of the United States for over 35 years. So I welcome a robust debate in Congress on this issue, and I welcome scrutiny of the details of this agreement.
But I will remind Congress that you don't make deals like this with your friends. We negotiated arms control agreements with the Soviet Union when that nation was committed to our destruction. And those agreements ultimately made us safer.
I am confident that this deal will meet the national security interest of the United States and our allies. So I will veto any legislation that prevents the successful implementation of this deal.
We do not have to accept an inevitable spiral into conflict. And we certainly shouldn’t seek it. And precisely because the stakes are so high, this is not the time for politics or posturing. Tough talk from Washington does not solve problems. Hard-nosed diplomacy, leadership that has united the world’s major powers offers a more effective way to verify that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Now, that doesn’t mean that this deal will resolve all of our differences with Iran. We share the concerns expressed by many of our friends in the Middle East, including Israel and the Gulf States, about Iran’s support for terrorism and its use of proxies to destabilize the region. But that is precisely why we are taking this step -- because an Iran armed with a nuclear weapon would be far more destabilizing and far more dangerous to our friends and to the world.
Meanwhile, we will maintain our own sanctions related to Iran’s support for terrorism, its ballistic missile program, and its human rights violations. We will continue our unprecedented efforts to strengthen Israel’s security -- efforts that go beyond what any American administration has done before. And we will continue the work we began at Camp David to elevate our partnership with the Gulf States to strengthen their capabilities to counter threats from Iran or terrorist groups like ISIL.
However, I believe that we must continue to test whether or not this region, which has known so much suffering, so much bloodshed, can move in a different direction.
Time and again, I have made clear to the Iranian people that we will always be open to engagement on the basis of mutual interests and mutual respect. Our differences are real and the difficult history between our nations cannot be ignored. But it is possible to change. The path of violence and rigid ideology, a foreign policy based on threats to attack your neighbors or eradicate Israel -- that's a dead end. A different path, one of tolerance and peaceful resolution of conflict, leads to more integration into the global economy, more engagement with the international community, and the ability of the Iranian people to prosper and thrive.
This deal offers an opportunity to move in a new direction. We should seize it.
We have come a long way to reach this point -- decades of an Iranian nuclear program, many years of sanctions, and many months of intense negotiation. Today, I want to thank the members of Congress from both parties who helped us put in place the sanctions that have proven so effective, as well as the other countries who joined us in that effort.
I want to thank our negotiating partners -- the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China, as well as the European Union -- for our unity in this effort, which showed that the world can do remarkable things when we share a vision of peacefully addressing conflicts. We showed what we can do when we do not split apart.
And finally, I want to thank the American negotiating team. We had a team of experts working for several weeks straight on this, including our Secretary of Energy, Ernie Moniz. And I want to particularly thank John Kerry, our Secretary of State, who began his service to this country more than four decades ago when he put on our uniform and went off to war. He’s now making this country safer through his commitment to strong, principled American diplomacy.
History shows that America must lead not just with our might, but with our principles. It shows we are stronger not when we are alone, but when we bring the world together. Today’s announcement marks one more chapter in this pursuit of a safer and more helpful and more hopeful world.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
END 7:17 A.M. EDT
REACTIONS July 14, 2015
- Dems. then Reps. Alpha -
Chafee 2016
Sent from my iPhone
Hillary Clinton - statement from night of July 14.
"I am still studying the details, but based on the briefings I received and a review of the documents, I support the agreement because it can help us prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. With vigorous enforcement, unyielding verification, and swift consequences for any violations, this agreement can make the United States, Israel, and our Arab partners safer.
"In light of the international community's long history and experience with Iranian behavior, the highest priority must be given to effective enforcement of the agreement. Signing is just the beginning. As President, I would use every tool in our arsenal to compel rigorous Iranian compliance. At the outset, we must see the verified roll back of the Iranian nuclear program required by the agreement. We can never permit Iran to evade its obligations or to place any suspicious site off limits to inspectors. And the response to any cheating must be immediate and decisive - starting with the return of sanctions but taking no options off the table, including, if necessary, our military options.
"The message to Iran should be loud and clear: We will never allow you to acquire a nuclear weapon; not just during the term of this agreement - never.
"Today's agreement is the culmination of a sustained strategy of pressure and engagement executed over many years. As Secretary of State, I logged tens of thousands of miles and twisted a lot of arms to build a global coalition to impose the most crippling sanctions in history. That unprecedented pressure delivered a blow to Iran's economy and gave us leverage at the negotiating table, starting in Oman in 2012. I know from experience what it took to build a global effort to get this done; I know what it will take to rally our partners to enforce it.
"Going forward, we have to be clear-eyed when it comes to the broader threat Iran represents. Even with a nuclear agreement, Iran poses a real challenge to the United States and our partners and a grave threat to our ally Israel. It continues to destabilize countries from Yemen to Lebanon, while exacerbating the conflict in Syria. It is developing missiles that can strike every country in the Middle East. And it fuels terrorism throughout the region and beyond, including through direct support to Hamas and Hizballah. We have to broadly confront and raise the costs for Iran's destabilizing activities, insist on the return of U.S. citizens being held in Iranian prisons, and strengthen security cooperation with our allies and partners. Sanctions for terrorism, and other non-nuclear sanctions, must remain a key part of our strategy and must be vigorously enforced.
"Israel has to be confident that the United States will always ensure its Qualitative Military Edge in the region and its capacity to defend itself by itself. As President, I would invite the senior Israeli leadership to Washington for early talks on further strengthening our alliance. We must also deepen our security relationship with our Arab partners threatened by Iran. This includes our continued presence and providing needed capabilities. Iran should have no doubt about our support for the security of our partners.
"I know that there are people of good faith who oppose this deal - people I respect. They raise concerns that have to be taken seriously. They are right to call for extreme vigilance. I am as familiar with Iranian behavior and the need to confront it as anyone. I support this agreement because I believe it is the most effective path of all the alternatives available to the U.S. and our partners to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
"So we should applaud President Obama, Secretary Kerry, and Secretary Moniz for getting this done, and proceed with wisdom and strength in enforcing this deal to the fullest and in meeting the broader Iranian challenge."
Office of Sen. Bernie Sanders
Chafee 2016
Statement on the Iran deal from Governor Chafee
"I salute President Obama and Secretary Kerry in this historic breakthrough. Cuba and now Iran, both good. Strong, patient diplomacy should continue to be the model for resolving conflicts."Sent from my iPhone
Hillary Clinton - statement from night of July 14.
"I am still studying the details, but based on the briefings I received and a review of the documents, I support the agreement because it can help us prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. With vigorous enforcement, unyielding verification, and swift consequences for any violations, this agreement can make the United States, Israel, and our Arab partners safer.
"In light of the international community's long history and experience with Iranian behavior, the highest priority must be given to effective enforcement of the agreement. Signing is just the beginning. As President, I would use every tool in our arsenal to compel rigorous Iranian compliance. At the outset, we must see the verified roll back of the Iranian nuclear program required by the agreement. We can never permit Iran to evade its obligations or to place any suspicious site off limits to inspectors. And the response to any cheating must be immediate and decisive - starting with the return of sanctions but taking no options off the table, including, if necessary, our military options.
"The message to Iran should be loud and clear: We will never allow you to acquire a nuclear weapon; not just during the term of this agreement - never.
"Today's agreement is the culmination of a sustained strategy of pressure and engagement executed over many years. As Secretary of State, I logged tens of thousands of miles and twisted a lot of arms to build a global coalition to impose the most crippling sanctions in history. That unprecedented pressure delivered a blow to Iran's economy and gave us leverage at the negotiating table, starting in Oman in 2012. I know from experience what it took to build a global effort to get this done; I know what it will take to rally our partners to enforce it.
"Going forward, we have to be clear-eyed when it comes to the broader threat Iran represents. Even with a nuclear agreement, Iran poses a real challenge to the United States and our partners and a grave threat to our ally Israel. It continues to destabilize countries from Yemen to Lebanon, while exacerbating the conflict in Syria. It is developing missiles that can strike every country in the Middle East. And it fuels terrorism throughout the region and beyond, including through direct support to Hamas and Hizballah. We have to broadly confront and raise the costs for Iran's destabilizing activities, insist on the return of U.S. citizens being held in Iranian prisons, and strengthen security cooperation with our allies and partners. Sanctions for terrorism, and other non-nuclear sanctions, must remain a key part of our strategy and must be vigorously enforced.
"Israel has to be confident that the United States will always ensure its Qualitative Military Edge in the region and its capacity to defend itself by itself. As President, I would invite the senior Israeli leadership to Washington for early talks on further strengthening our alliance. We must also deepen our security relationship with our Arab partners threatened by Iran. This includes our continued presence and providing needed capabilities. Iran should have no doubt about our support for the security of our partners.
"I know that there are people of good faith who oppose this deal - people I respect. They raise concerns that have to be taken seriously. They are right to call for extreme vigilance. I am as familiar with Iranian behavior and the need to confront it as anyone. I support this agreement because I believe it is the most effective path of all the alternatives available to the U.S. and our partners to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
"So we should applaud President Obama, Secretary Kerry, and Secretary Moniz for getting this done, and proceed with wisdom and strength in enforcing this deal to the fullest and in meeting the broader Iranian challenge."
Office of Sen. Bernie Sanders
Sanders Statement on Iran Deal
WASHINGTON, July 14 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced a nuclear agreement with Iran:
“I congratulate President Obama, Secretary Kerry and the leaders of
other major nations for producing a comprehensive agreement to prevent
Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This is a victory for diplomacy
over saber-rattling and could keep the United States
from being drawn into another never-ending war in the Middle East. I
look forward to learning more about the complex details of this
agreement to make sure that it is effective and strong.”
Webb 2016 - July 15, 2015
Today on the Diane Rehm Show (NPR)
Jim on the nuclear accord with Iran:
At this point I would be very skeptical if I were still in the Senate.
I am concerned principally that this might actually increase the imbalance in the balance of power in the region.
-----------------------
This should have been a congressional process, not simply a vote of approval or disapproval at the end of it. Rather than an executive agreement, this should have been debated openly in front of the Congress.
-----------------------
As I am reading through the documents I say to myself, ‘What does Iran get of this?’ They get a lot out of this. They get immediate lifting of sanctions. After a period of about ten years they are going to be able to say that they can move forward with a nuclear weapons policy with our acceptance.
-----------------------
We are moving the cart before the horse in terms of improving relations with Iran. If you look at what’s happened in the region since the Iraq war, Iran’s position has become more powerful. We have to be very careful about the signals we’re sending into the region about what level we are accepting this change in the balance of power among Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
-----------------------
Programs will be postponed with vague guarantees of how we can conduct examinations.
-----------------------
The United States should never accede to the point that Iran would acquire nuclear weapons.
-- Jim Webb, The Diane Rehm Show (NPR, July 15)
Webb 2016 - July 15, 2015
Today on the Diane Rehm Show (NPR)
Jim on the nuclear accord with Iran:
At this point I would be very skeptical if I were still in the Senate.
I am concerned principally that this might actually increase the imbalance in the balance of power in the region.
-----------------------
This should have been a congressional process, not simply a vote of approval or disapproval at the end of it. Rather than an executive agreement, this should have been debated openly in front of the Congress.
-----------------------
As I am reading through the documents I say to myself, ‘What does Iran get of this?’ They get a lot out of this. They get immediate lifting of sanctions. After a period of about ten years they are going to be able to say that they can move forward with a nuclear weapons policy with our acceptance.
-----------------------
We are moving the cart before the horse in terms of improving relations with Iran. If you look at what’s happened in the region since the Iraq war, Iran’s position has become more powerful. We have to be very careful about the signals we’re sending into the region about what level we are accepting this change in the balance of power among Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
-----------------------
Programs will be postponed with vague guarantees of how we can conduct examinations.
-----------------------
The United States should never accede to the point that Iran would acquire nuclear weapons.
-- Jim Webb, The Diane Rehm Show (NPR, July 15)
Jeb 2016
Jeb Bush on the Obama Administration's Nuclear Deal with Iran
The
nuclear agreement announced by the Obama Administration today is a
dangerous, deeply flawed, and short sighted deal.
A comprehensive agreement should require Iran to verifiably abandon – not simply delay – its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.
Based on initial reports and analysis, it appears this agreement does not “cut off all of Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon” – in fact, over time it paves Iran’s path to a bomb. Most of the key restrictions last for only 10 to 15 years. Even before the deal expires, it could allow Iran to develop an industrial-scale enrichment program and continue its R&D on advanced centrifuges and development of an ICBM.
The deal does not require Iran to come completely clean up front about possible military dimensions of its nuclear program or include true anytime/anywhere inspections necessary for a nuclear program shrouded in deception and lies.
President Obama has acknowledged the agreement would end the United Nations' conventional arms embargo, a critical tool to combat Iran’s support for terrorism and destabilizing activities in the region.
The deal would provide more than $100 billion in sanctions relief that will breathe new life into Iran's malevolent and corrupt regime, enabling its projection of terror and power as well as its repression of the Iranian people – who aspire for, and deserve, a more democratic future.
The clerical leaders in Tehran routinely preach “death to America” and “death to Israel” – and through their acts of terror, they mean it. We must take these threats seriously and should not base any agreements on the hope their behavior will moderate over time.
The people of Iran, the region, Israel, America, and the world deserve better than a deal that consolidates the grip on power of the violent revolutionary clerics who rule Tehran with an iron fist.
This isn’t diplomacy – it is appeasement.
A comprehensive agreement should require Iran to verifiably abandon – not simply delay – its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.
Based on initial reports and analysis, it appears this agreement does not “cut off all of Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon” – in fact, over time it paves Iran’s path to a bomb. Most of the key restrictions last for only 10 to 15 years. Even before the deal expires, it could allow Iran to develop an industrial-scale enrichment program and continue its R&D on advanced centrifuges and development of an ICBM.
The deal does not require Iran to come completely clean up front about possible military dimensions of its nuclear program or include true anytime/anywhere inspections necessary for a nuclear program shrouded in deception and lies.
President Obama has acknowledged the agreement would end the United Nations' conventional arms embargo, a critical tool to combat Iran’s support for terrorism and destabilizing activities in the region.
The deal would provide more than $100 billion in sanctions relief that will breathe new life into Iran's malevolent and corrupt regime, enabling its projection of terror and power as well as its repression of the Iranian people – who aspire for, and deserve, a more democratic future.
The clerical leaders in Tehran routinely preach “death to America” and “death to Israel” – and through their acts of terror, they mean it. We must take these threats seriously and should not base any agreements on the hope their behavior will moderate over time.
The people of Iran, the region, Israel, America, and the world deserve better than a deal that consolidates the grip on power of the violent revolutionary clerics who rule Tehran with an iron fist.
This isn’t diplomacy – it is appeasement.
Carson America
STATEMENT FROM DR. BEN CARSON REGARDING IRAN DEAL
The Iran deal announced today with fanfare and another heaping dose of false hope is almost certain to prove an historic mistake with potentially deadly consequences. A careful review of the 100-plus pages is in order to fully understand the lengths to which the negotiators were willing to stoop to secure a deal at any cost with the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and a regime dedicated in word and deed to bringing death to America. Without anywhere anytime surprise inspections, a full accounting of Iran's past secret nuclear arms pursuits, elimination of Iran's uranium stockpiles and the lifting of any sanctions only upon verification of Iranian compliance, this is not a good deal, but a recipe for disaster and the first fateful step toward a frenzied nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
Chris Christie for President, Inc.
Governor Christie's Statement On The President's Deal With Iran
Morristown, NJ - Today, Governor Christie released the following statement on the President's deal with Iran.
"After two years of humiliating concessions by President Obama, he has made his deal with Iran. He should have walked away. Iran joins the sad list of countries where America’s red lines have been crossed. The president is playing a dangerous game with our national security, and the deal as structured will lead to a nuclear Iran and, then, a nuclearized Middle East. The deal threatens Israel, it threatens the United States, and it turns 70 years of nuclear policy on its head. I urge Republicans and Democrats in Congress to put aside politics and act in the national interest. Vote to disapprove this deal in numbers that will override the President's threatened veto."
###
Cruz for President
Cruz: We
Still Have an Opportunity to Tell the Truth about Today’s ‘Mistake of
Historic Proportion’
Congress Must Stop a Deal that Puts Iran on Path Toward Nuclear Bomb
HOUSTON, Texas
— U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, released the following statement in
response to the nuclear deal negotiated with Iran:
“Today, the international community led by the United States has agreed
to not only legitimize and perpetuate the Iranian nuclear program, but
also to further arm and enrich the brutal theocratic regime that has
oppressed the Iranian people for more than thirty years – a regime that
is wrongfully holding United States citizens captive, that is
sponsoring radical Islamic terrorism across the globe, and that
regularly promotes the destruction of both Israel and America
throughout its streets.
“Despite these facts, it seems President Obama would concede almost
anything to get any deal – even a terrible deal – from the Islamic
Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Under the terms of this
deal, Iran will retain all of its centrifuges, one-third of which will
continue to spin. Rather than the most intrusive inspections regime in
history that we were promised, IAEA inspectors must petition the
mullahs to visit sensitive sites, and wait for two weeks for their
permission. In a final, shocking concession, the United States will
support lifting of the United Nations arms embargos that restrict the
Iranian ballistic missile program and arms trafficking. And in return,
billions of dollars of economic relief will flow to Tehran.
“Yet, in his remarks this morning, the President glossed over the truth
about Iran’s world-leading state-sponsorship of terrorism that is
violently destabilizing the region, and would grow more deadly should
the Iranians get a nuclear bomb. He failed to mention American
citizens, Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati and Jason Rezaian, who continue
to languish in Iranian prisons or Robert Levinson, who is still
unaccounted for. For them, today is no ‘opportunity to move in a new
direction’ as the President claimed. We owe it to our fellow Americans
to elevate, not ignore, their plight, to demand their swift and
unconditional release by the implacably hostile regime that holds them.
“Even by the low standards of the Joint Plan of Action, this is a
staggeringly bad deal. It is a fundamental betrayal of the security of
the United States and of our closest allies, first and foremost Israel.
“But thankfully, it is not a done deal. We still have an opportunity to
tell the truth about what Prime Minister Netanyahu called today a ‘bad
mistake of historic proportion.’
“Congress will have 60 days to review it, and the American people will
have 60 days to tell their elected representatives just what they think
of it. I urge all my fellow citizens to speak out and let their elected
leaders know that even if President Obama won’t see it, we know the
leaders of the Islamic Republic who lead crowds in chants of ‘Death to
America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ are not our partners in peace, and must
not be put on the path to a nuclear bomb.”
###
Carly for America
In case you missed it, Carly discussed the Iran Deal on CBS This
Morning. See the clip on Facebook and YouTube, and a portion of
the transcript below:
Lindsey Graham 2016
On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Graham Says “[The President] May Think This Is A Good Deal, It’s A Terrible Deal.”
Alexandria, VA –
Senator Lindsey Graham appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe
this morning to discuss the nuclear deal reached by the Obama
Administration, five other world powers and Iran. Graham discussed the
consequences that will come from the bad deal and what he would do as
president to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
As highlighted by The New York Times,
Senator Graham’s interview came the morning of President Obama’s
announcement of the Iran nuclear deal. Graham stated on Tuesday, “This
is
the
most
dangerous,
most
irresponsible
step,” and added, “This
is
a terrible deal.” Graham also said, “It will make
everything worse, and I live in fear that we have set in motion a
decade of chaos.”
Huckabee for President - facebook
Shame on the Obama administration for agreeing to a deal that empowers an evil Iranian regime to carry out its threat to 'wipe Israel off the map' and bring 'death to America. As president I will stand with Israel and keep all options on the table, including military force, to topple the Iranian regime and defeat the evil forces of radical Islam.
Jindal for President
Gov. Jindal Releases Statement on Iran Deal
BATON ROUGE — Governor Bobby Jindal released a statement today on the Iran deal and called on Congress and Hillary Clinton to oppose the agreement.
Governor Jindal said, "If Secretary Clinton goes along with President Obama's efforts to appease Iran, it will make our enemies stronger, endanger our ally Israel and trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that will destabilize the region.
Throughout
this
process,
President Obama appeared more concerned with reaching a deal
irrespective of the terms. The result is now a dangerous deal that has
put Iran on a path to obtaining a nuclear weapon, depleted America’s
military strength in the Gulf, and made Israel less safe. And
that
certainly makes us less safe here at home.
The Obama Administration is wrong when they suggest the IAEA can still
inspect all of Iran’s nuclear facilities. The agreement does not
provide for anytime-anywhere access to Iran’s nuclear facilities.
President Obama admits that the 24-7 access is to ‘key’ facilities,
which means not every facility can be surveyed. The Obama
Administration is not being truthful with the world about this
deal.
Congress should oppose this dangerous deal. Secretary Clinton should be
a voice of reason and oppose this deal. While Secretary Clinton has
been the architect of President Obama’s foreign policy, she can do the
right thing and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and oppose
this deal.”
###
For example, the accord provides that if International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors find something suspicious at a military they must bring its concerns back to a joint commission for review. That commission, which is required to seek an explanation from Iran, has in total twenty-four days to render an opinion whether an actual inspection is warranted. The Obama administration’s straight-faced assertion that twenty-four days is not enough time to cover up a violation is about as logical as their claim that an obscure video ignited the riots in Benghazi.
###
Pataki for President
Governor Pataki Statement on Iran Nuclear Deal
New York, New York
- The Iran deal announced today is a colossal catastrophic capstone to
the failed Obama - Clinton foreign policy. Rewarding the world's
leading sponsor of state terror with billions in funds and the currency
of legitimacy is as dumbfounding as it is dangerous.
The
accord makes the region and the world less safe and poses an
unacceptable threat to our allies and friends especially Israel.
“Trust
but verify” has been a hallmark of America’s nuclear non-proliferation
policy since President Reagan. National Security advisor Susan Rice
actually promised that an agreement with Iran would go beyond and
“distrust but verify.” This agreement with Iran fails to meet either
standard and in the end will only deepen the distrust of America with
our allies.
For example, the accord provides that if International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors find something suspicious at a military they must bring its concerns back to a joint commission for review. That commission, which is required to seek an explanation from Iran, has in total twenty-four days to render an opinion whether an actual inspection is warranted. The Obama administration’s straight-faced assertion that twenty-four days is not enough time to cover up a violation is about as logical as their claim that an obscure video ignited the riots in Benghazi.
Finally,
while separated by oceans and a continent we know terror knows no
borders. With this deal Israel is less safe but so too is America. It
should be painfully obvious that a government that endorses the credo
"Death to America" is a danger to our safety security.
America
must never forget the lessons of September 11th and as the Governor of
New York during those dark days I pledged to do whatever was in my
power to keep us safe from further attacks. I’m saddened and shocked
that in endorsing this deal Senator Clinton has so clearly forgotten
the lesson of those days. We know that whether it's ISIS or Iran,
America can never give quarter or condone any state that supports
radical Islamic terror.
Congress
should act immediately, reject this deal and send a message to
President Obama, Secretary Clinton the UN and leaders throughout the
globe that America does not reward terror.
Rand
Paul for President
From Senator Rand Paul:
The
proposed agreement with Iran is
unacceptable for the following reasons:
1) sanctions relief precedes evidence of compliance
2) Iran is left with significant nuclear capacity
3) it lifts the ban on selling advanced weapons to Iran
I will, therefore, vote against the agreement.
While I continue to believe that negotiations are preferable to war, I would prefer to keep the interim agreement in place instead of accepting a bad deal.
1) sanctions relief precedes evidence of compliance
2) Iran is left with significant nuclear capacity
3) it lifts the ban on selling advanced weapons to Iran
I will, therefore, vote against the agreement.
While I continue to believe that negotiations are preferable to war, I would prefer to keep the interim agreement in place instead of accepting a bad deal.
Perry for President
Statement by Gov. Perry on Iran Nuclear Deal
AUSTIN – Today
Governor Rick Perry released the following statement regarding the
nuclear negotiations with Iran:
"President Obama’s decision to sign a nuclear deal with Iran is one of the most destructive foreign policy decisions in my lifetime. For decades to come, the world will have to deal with the repercussions of this agreement, which will actually make it easier for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.
And Secretary Clinton, who played a significant role in initiating these negotiations with Iran, will have to justify to the American people why she supports allowing a known state sponsor of terrorism to move toward obtaining a nuclear weapon.
This deal is not a binding international treaty, but rather a political agreement among diplomats. I urge Congress to take the next 60 days of review very seriously. I will do everything in my power to work with the Senate to oppose this deal, including reaching out to Democratic senators.
As President, one of my first official acts will be to fully rescind this accord. I will order a review of Iran’s compliance with the deal, and an evaluation of Iran’s continued sponsorship of terror over the timeframe of the agreement. I will move to ensure that the arms embargo—and, specifically, the ballistic missile embargo — remain in place until Iran verifiably demonstrates that it desires to act as a stabilizing force in the region."
###"President Obama’s decision to sign a nuclear deal with Iran is one of the most destructive foreign policy decisions in my lifetime. For decades to come, the world will have to deal with the repercussions of this agreement, which will actually make it easier for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.
And Secretary Clinton, who played a significant role in initiating these negotiations with Iran, will have to justify to the American people why she supports allowing a known state sponsor of terrorism to move toward obtaining a nuclear weapon.
This deal is not a binding international treaty, but rather a political agreement among diplomats. I urge Congress to take the next 60 days of review very seriously. I will do everything in my power to work with the Senate to oppose this deal, including reaching out to Democratic senators.
As President, one of my first official acts will be to fully rescind this accord. I will order a review of Iran’s compliance with the deal, and an evaluation of Iran’s continued sponsorship of terror over the timeframe of the agreement. I will move to ensure that the arms embargo—and, specifically, the ballistic missile embargo — remain in place until Iran verifiably demonstrates that it desires to act as a stabilizing force in the region."
Office of Sen. Marco Rubio
RUBIO COMMENTS ON OBAMA’S NUCLEAR DEAL WITH IRAN
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today commented on the Obama Administration’s announcement of a nuclear deal with Iran:“I have said from the beginning of this process that I would not support a deal with Iran that allows the mullahs to retain the ability to develop nuclear weapons, threaten Israel, and continue their regional expansionism and support for terrorism. Based on what we know thus far, I believe that this deal undermines our national security. President Obama has consistently negotiated from a position of weakness, giving concession after concession to a regime that has American blood on its hands, holds Americans hostage, and has consistently violated every agreement it ever signed. I expect that a significant majority in Congress will share my skepticism of this agreement and vote it down. Failure by the President to obtain congressional support will tell the Iranians and the world that this is Barack Obama's deal, not an agreement with lasting support from the United States. It will then be left to the next President to return us to a position of American strength and re-impose sanctions on this despicable regime until it is truly willing to abandon its nuclear ambitions and is no longer a threat to international security.”
###
Donald J. Trump for PresidentDonald J. Trump Statement on Iran Agreement
(New York, NY) July 14, 2015 – Today Donald J. Trump released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s agreement with Iran.The Obama Administration’s agreement with Iran is very dangerous.
Iran developing a nuclear weapon, either through uranium or nuclear fuel, and defying the world is still a very real possibility. The inspections will not be followed, and Iran will no longer have any sanctions. Iran gets everything and loses nothing.
Every promise the Obama Administration made in the beginning of negotiations, including the vow (made at the beginning of the negotiations) to get our great American prisoners returned to the U. S. has been broken. This is a bad deal that sets a dangerous precedent.
This deal sets off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which is the most-unstable region in the world. It is a horrible and perhaps catastrophic event for Israel.
Furthermore, we should have kept the billions of dollars we have agreed to pay them. Any great dealmaker would know this is a perfect example of “tapping along” and because they have been unchecked for so long throughout this extremely lengthy process, I guarantee they are much closer to producing a nuclear weapon than they were at the start of negotiations.
The fact is, the US has incompetent leaders and even more incompetent negotiators. We must do better for America and the world. We have to Make America Great Again.
##
Scott Walker Inc.
Governor Walker Statement on Iranian Nuclear Deal
After warning of President Obama’s failure to lead on Iran, Governor Walker commented today on the P5+1’s comprehensive agreement with Iran:“President Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran will be remembered as one of America's worst diplomatic failures. The deal allows Tehran to dismantle U.S. and international sanctions without dismantling its illicit nuclear infrastructure—giving Iran’s nuclear weapons capability an American stamp of approval. In crafting this agreement, President Obama has abandoned the bipartisan principles that have guided our nonproliferation policy and kept the world safe from nuclear danger for decades. Instead of making the world safer, this deal will likely lead to a nuclear arms race in the world’s most dangerous region. What’s worse, the deal rewards the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism with a massive financial windfall, which Iran will use to further threaten our interests and key allies, especially Israel.
“I call on all congressional leaders and presidential candidates, including Secretary Clinton, to repudiate this agreement. Iran’s Supreme Leader should know that a future American president will not be bound by this diplomatic retreat. Undoing the damage caused by this deal won’t be easy. But when the United States leads, and has a president who isn’t eager to embrace Iran, the world will follow. In order to ensure the safety of America and our allies, the next president must restore bipartisan and international opposition to Iran’s nuclear program while standing with our allies to roll back Iran’s destructive influence across the Middle East.”
###
RNC Statement on Iran Nuclear Deal
###
Republican National
Committee
RNC Statement on Iran Nuclear Deal
WASHINGTON
– Republican
National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus released the following
statement in response to the announcement of a nuclear deal with Iran:
"The Obama administration did not even meet its own goals with this deal. If implemented, this agreement will cement the Obama-Clinton foreign policy legacy: a richer, more powerful, more dangerous, legitimized Iran.
"This deal would not have happened without Hillary Clinton, who as Secretary of State, put things in motion. She owes America an explanation: Why did she support negotiations that empowered Iran, and what would she do to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon? Sadly, we don’t expect to get a straight answer.
“Under the terms that have been released, the deal does not permanently prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, but it does infuse the regime with more money to finance global terrorism. Initial reports indicate that Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad are celebrating Iran’s newfound strength, while Israel is even more concerned for its safety and security. What more do we need to know?"
"The Obama administration did not even meet its own goals with this deal. If implemented, this agreement will cement the Obama-Clinton foreign policy legacy: a richer, more powerful, more dangerous, legitimized Iran.
"This deal would not have happened without Hillary Clinton, who as Secretary of State, put things in motion. She owes America an explanation: Why did she support negotiations that empowered Iran, and what would she do to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon? Sadly, we don’t expect to get a straight answer.
“Under the terms that have been released, the deal does not permanently prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, but it does infuse the regime with more money to finance global terrorism. Initial reports indicate that Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad are celebrating Iran’s newfound strength, while Israel is even more concerned for its safety and security. What more do we need to know?"
Copyright © 2015 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.
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