Wendy Sherman Tells Israel To Expect Iran Deal
Iran and the world powers will reach a comprehensive final agreement on curbing Iran’s nuclear program by the June 30 deadline, the top U.S. negotiator in the talks told Israeli journalists.
A diplomatic negotiated solution is the best option to slow Iran’s nuclear program, Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman said during a briefing Monday with Israel’s diplomatic reporters. She said a military strike by Israel or the United States would only set back Iran’s nuclear program by two years.
“You can’t bomb their nuclear know-how, and they will rebuild everything,” Sherman said in the conference call. “We think we are headed for a good deal. Is it a perfect deal? No. There is no such thing as a perfect deal.”
The briefing is part of the Obama administration’s efforts to garner support in Israel and among Jewish-Americans for the framework agreement signed earlier this month with Iran.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has expressed opposition to the agreement, saying it would threaten Israel’s survival. He has called on the international community to negotiate a better agreement. Sherman acknowledged that Netanyahu’s concerns are legitimate.
She told the Israeli reporters that the United States remains committed to Israel’s security.
“Israel’s right to exist and Iran’s actions in the region will be dealt with on a parallel track,” Sherman said. “The U.S. will consult Israel on what it needs for its security.”
Sherman reiterated the Obama administration’s promise that a final deal would ensure that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!