AJC Statement on Tentative Iranian Nuclear Deal

NEW YORK, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC issued the following statement after the announcement of a framework nuclear deal between the P5+1, led by the United States, and Iran:

"We appreciate the determined efforts of the U.S. team, spearheaded by Secretary of State John Kerry, and joined by the other five countries in the negotiating process with Iran, and can only begin to imagine the time and effort that has gone into these very difficult and complex negotiations," said AJC Executive Director David Harris, who has followed the Iran nuclear issue for more than 15 years.

"Like so many, we earnestly hope for a diplomatic solution that will be durable and ensure the prevention of Iran's nuclear ambitions," he continued. "Yet, we are fully cognizant that, as President Obama stated, 'the work is not yet done and success is not guaranteed.'"

Given the nature of the Iranian regime, its pattern of seeking to deceive the international community on its nuclear program, its support for global terror and its regional hegemonic ambitions, its repeated calls for a world without Israel, and its clandestine weapons efforts, AJC is deeply concerned about whether Iran will abide by any undertaking it makes, and if any inspections regime will be sufficient to monitor Iran's full compliance.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which will be mandated to conduct the inspections, has faced repeated obstacles from the regime in Tehran, especially when it comes to possible military dimensions of the Iranian program.

Moreover, we know that once sanctions are lifted, and that is supposed to happen in response to specific steps taken by Iran, they will be difficult to put back in place, given the realities of coordinating with other countries, should Tehran subsequently seek to violate commitments made.

Thus, AJC will closely follow the ensuing negotiations, and shall continue to support Congressional review of the agreement, precisely as majorities of Democrats and Republicans have sought.

"A deal of this magnitude, which has directly involved Congress over many years, calls for an appropriate role for our elected officials in the legislative branch," said Harris.

AJC also seeks close monitoring of the region to see how countries that have threatened to introduce nuclear programs of their own in response to Iran's long-standing efforts react to today's announcement. There has long been fear of an escalation in the most explosive, arms-laden region of the world, where Shiite-Sunni and Iranian-Arab tensions have been growing stronger.

The announcement of the agreement came just before AJC leaders, led by Harris and AJC President Stanley Bergman, met at the State Department with Deputy Secretary Blinken for well over an hour.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

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