Israel calls Western powers' deal with Iran 'self-delusional'

After four days of talks, the foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia and the European Union announced that they had agreed on a six-month deal aimed at giving Iran limited sanctions relief in return for temporary restrictions on its nuclear program.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who has been co-ordinating talks with Iran on behalf of the major powers, said it created time and space for talks aimed at reaching a comprehensive solution to the dispute. "This is only a first step," Iranian Foreign minister Mohammad Zarif told a press conference. "We need to start moving in the direction of restoring confidence, a direction in which we have managed to move against in the past."

"Iran, like any nation, should be able to access peaceful nuclear energy, but because of its record of violating its obligations, Iran must accept strict limitations on its nuclear program that make it impossible to develop a nuclear weapon," US President Obama said in a statement at the White House. "The burden is on Iran to prove to the world that its nuclear program will be exclusively for peaceful purposes."

The deal, described by Obama as "an important first step toward a comprehensive solution," is intended to open the way for what is likely to prove even tougher bargaining to reach a comprehensive agreement. US Secretary of State John F. Kerry, speaking in Geneva, said that limiting Iran's nuclear program would expand the time Tehran would need to reach a nuclear weapons capability. "It will make our ally Israel safer," he told a press conference.

Israel: Deal shifts status quo in Middle East

However, in first reactions ministers in Jerusalem rejected the agreement. Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the agreement shifted the status quo in the Middle East. “This brings us to a new reality in the whole Middle East, including the Saudis. This isn’t just our worry” he told 'Israel Radio', according to the 'Times of Israel'. “We have found ourselves in a completely new situation," Lieberman said, adding that Israel “would need to make different decisions.”

Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz, who is responsible for monitoring Iran’s nuclear program, said there was no reason for the world to be celebrating. He said the deal, reached in Geneva early Sunday, was based on “Iranian deception and self-delusion.”

“Just like the failed deal with North Korea, the current deal can actually bring Iran closer to the bomb,” Steinitz said. “Israel cannot take part in the international celebrations based on Iranian deception and self-delusion.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to discuss the matter with his Cabinet later on Sunday. He is also expected to speak by phone with US President Barack Obama, the news agency 'Reuters' reported.
From:  http://www.worldjewishcongress.org