BICOM

White House spokesman Josh Earnest yesterday said that reports regarding the details of a nascent nuclear deal with Iran are not correct and emphasised that the aim of the ongoing talks is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif at the start of the week looked to advance an agreement between the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme, with a 31 March deadline for an agreed outline looming. Widespread media reports claimed that the two sides reached broad agreement on a phased plan, which would see strict controls on Iran’s uranium enrichment for 10 years, but with  little contingency for regulating Iran’s atomic development thereafter.

However, Earnest told the media yesterday that, “Those reports are not correct” and that they do “not reflect the accurate negotiating position of the United States and our international partners.” He emphasised that the US and the international community is seeking “a verifiable commitment from Iran not to develop and obtain a nuclear weapon.” Kerry echoed similar views, saying, “The policy is Iran will not get a nuclear weapon” and in a pointed comment said “anybody running around right now, jumping in to say, well, we don’t like the deal … doesn’t know what the deal is.”

Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been sharply critical of the proposed deal. Netanyahu commented once again yesterday, saying that the agreement would allow Iran “which openly declares its intention to destroy the State of Israel … a licence to develop the production of bombs.”

Netanyahu will next week address the US Congress on the issue, a decision which has irked the Obama Administration. Amid the controversy, Netanyahu yesterday declined an invitation to meet with Democratic senators during his visit, saying he didn’t want to be mistakenly accused of identifying with a particular party.