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Iranian FM hails nuclear deal as defeat for “Israeli plot”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif said yesterday that the recent nuclear deal agreed with the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) was a defeat for Israel.
Zarif arrived yesterday in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, where, according to the New York Times, he met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nassrallah. According to Iran’s official outlet Press TV, he said that the nuclear accord was a defeat for the “Israeli regime’s plot” against such an agreement. He went on to say that terrorism and “the Israeli regime” were the major challenges in the region.
Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum have publicly opposed the nuclear agreement, which will likely see international sanctions lifted in return for a slowdown in Iranian nuclear development over the next decade. Israel is concerned that the agreement allows Iran to become a nuclear threshold state, does not include robust monitoring mechanisms and will see Iran receive a financial windfall, boosting the material support Tehran provides to regional terror groups. Other countries in the region, including Gulf states have also expressed concern that the agreement boosts Iran’s regional ambitions.
The nuclear accord must receive approval from US Congress, which has until 17 September to consider and vote on the deal. Congressional opposition to the agreement would likely see it abandoned altogether.
Yesterday, a delegation of 37 US Republican Congressmen visited Israel, meeting with President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rivlin summarised Israeli opposition, saying “We fear that this agreement is a first step to legitimise Iran’s polices and strategies which will lead to acts that will further destabilise an already chaotic region and the whole world.”
Led by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the Republican delegation follows a similar visit by Democrat Congressmen last week. Among the delegates yesterday, Rep. Trent Franks emphasised that he and many of his colleagues are deeply, personally committed “not only to the protection of Israel in the long run, but to the defeat of the onerous and dangerous Iran nuclear deal in the short run.”