|
|
 |
|
The
views expressed
on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily
represent the views of County News Online
|
 |
The Iran Deal
From President Barack Obama with comments by House Speaker John Boehner
Obama... Today, the United States, together with our allies and
partners, reached a historic understanding with Iran.
If fully implemented, this framework will prevent Iran from obtaining a
nuclear weapon, making our nation, our allies, and our world safer.
For decades, Iran has been advancing its nuclear program. When I took
office, Iran was operating thousands of centrifuges -- which can
produce the materials for a nuclear bomb -- and was concealing a secret
nuclear facility. I made it clear that the United States was prepared
to find a diplomatic resolution, if Iran came to the table in a serious
way.
But that didn't happen.
So we rallied the world to impose the toughest sanctions in history,
profoundly impacting Iran's economy. Sanctions couldn't stop Iran's
nuclear program on their own, but they helped bring Iran to the
negotiating table.
And after many months of tough and principled diplomacy, the United
States -- joined by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China,
and the European Union -- achieved the framework for a deal that will
cut off every pathway Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon.
I want you to understand exactly what this deal entails:
First, it stops Iran from pursuing a bomb using plutonium, because Iran
will not develop weapons-grade plutonium. The core of its reactor at
Arak will be dismantled and replaced. The spent fuel from that facility
will be shipped out of Iran for the life of the reactor. Iran will not
build a new heavy-water reactor. And Iran will never reprocess fuel
from its existing reactors.
Second, it shuts down Iran's path to a bomb using enriched uranium.
Iran has agreed to reduce its installed centrifuges by two-thirds. It
will no longer enrich uranium at its Fordow facility, and it will not
enrich uranium with its advanced centrifuges for at least the next 10
years. And the vast majority of its stockpile of enriched uranium will
be neutralized.
Third, it provides the best possible defense against Iran's ability to
pursue a nuclear weapon in secret. Iran has agreed to the most robust
and intrusive inspections and transparency regime ever negotiated for
any nuclear program in history. International inspectors will have
unprecedented access not only to Iranian nuclear facilities, but to the
entire supply chain that supports Iran's nuclear program -- from
uranium mills that provide the raw materials, to the centrifuge
production and storage facilities that support the program.
If Iran cheats, the world will know.
In return for Iran's actions, the international community has agreed to
provide Iran with relief from certain sanctions -- our own sanctions,
and international sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security
Council. This relief will be tied to the steps Iran takes to adhere to
the deal. And if Iran violates the deal, sanctions can be snapped back
into place. Meanwhile, other American sanctions on Iran -- for its
support of terrorism, its human rights abuses, and its ballistic
missile program -- will be fully enforced.
Now, our work is not yet done. Negotiators will continue to work
through the details of how this framework will be fully implemented,
and those details matter. And let me be clear: If Iran backslides, and
the verification and inspection mechanisms don't meet the
specifications of our nuclear and security experts, there will be no
deal.
But if we can get this done, and Iran follows through on the framework
that our negotiators agreed to, we will be able to peacefully resolve
one of the gravest threats to the security of our nation, our allies,
and the world.
Learn more about today's historic deal and how it will make the United
States, our allies, and our world safer:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/Iran-deal
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
Boehner... Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the
following statement in response to the president’s remarks on the Iran
nuclear talks:
“The president says negotiators have cleared the basic threshold needed
to continue talks, but the parameters for a final deal represent an
alarming departure from the White House’s initial goals. My longtime
concerns about the parameters of this potential agreement remain, but
my immediate concern is the administration signaling it will provide
near-term sanctions relief. Congress must be allowed to fully
review the details of any agreement before any sanctions are lifted.
“After visiting with our partners on the ground in the Middle East this
week, my concerns about Iran’s efforts to foment unrest, brutal
violence and terror have only grown. It would be naïve to suggest the
Iranian regime will not continue to use its nuclear program, and any
economic relief, to further destabilize the region.
“In the weeks ahead, Republicans and Democrats in Congress will
continue to press this administration on the details of these
parameters and the tough questions that remain unanswered. We will
stand strong on behalf of the American people and everyone in the
Middle East who values freedom, security, and peace.”
|
|
|
|
