News

White House counters Netanyahu’s criticism on Iran nuclear talks

by Ben Kamisar - 02/25/15 6:20 PM ET

The White House is pushing back against an assertion by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that world superpowers have “given up” stopping Iran from developing a nuclear bomb ahead of Netanyahu’s speech to Congress next week.

{mosads}“The whole point of the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States and our international partners is to resolve the international community’s concerns with the Iranian nuclear program and to secure an agreement that would ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon,” press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Air Force One on Wednesday.

“If Iran were to obtain a nuclear weapon, it would, in all likelihood, set off a nuclear arms race that would add even further instability to that region.”

Netanyahu accused world leaders of punting on keeping nuclear weapons out of Iran’s hands during a speech at his political party’s convention.

“From the developing agreement, it seems they have given up on that commitment, and have accepted the fact that Iran, gradually over several years, will develop the capabilities to make fissile material for many nuclear bombs,” Netanyahu said, according to Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper.

“Maybe they can live with it, but I can’t.”

Earnest also addressed Wednesday’s comments from Susan Rice, the president’s national security advisor, about Netanyahu’s upcoming address. She called it “destructive” to the relationship between the two countries and warned that the invitation, extended by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) without input from the president, “injected a degree of partisanship” between the two countries.

“What Susan was referring to is how reducing the U.S.-Israeli relationship to just a relationship between two political parties is destructive to a relationship between our two countries that for generations had been strengthened through bipartisan cooperation, not just in this country but in Israel,” he said.

Earnest added that the idea that Netanyahu’s visit is destructive is “entirely consistent with what the president has already said.”

Tags Benjamin Netanyahu Iran Israel Josh Earnest