US President stresses ‘real differences’ with Israel over Iran

Tehran, Feb 10, IRNA – US President Barack Obama highlighted the “real differences” which existed between the US and Israel over anti-Iran sanctions as well as nuclear talks with Tehran. In a joint press conference with Germen Chancellor Angela Merkel in the White House, he said on Monday that “he has ‘very real differences’ with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the issue of nuclear negotiations with Iran, as well as the question of new sanctions on Tehran.” “Times of Israel” wrote that “Obama stressed at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington, DC, that Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron and others involved in the talks all agree that more sanctions wouldn’t make sense at this point.” “‘I don’t want to be coy,” Obama said. ‘The prime minister and I have a very real difference around Iran, around sanctions,’ Times of Israel wrote. According to the paper, “Obama also defended his recent decision not to meet with Netanyahu during the prime minister’s upcoming Washington visit, which is scheduled to take place shortly before the Israeli elections.” “‘We have a practice of not meeting with leaders right before their elections, two weeks before their elections,’ the US president said.” “As much as I love Angela [Merkel], if she were two weeks away from an election, she probably would not have received an invitation to the White House, and I suspect she would not have asked for one,” Obama said, the audience responding with a round of laughter, the news website reported. “Netanyahu plans to address the US Congress over his concerns regarding the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. The possibility of an agreement with Iran prompted strong words Sunday from the Israeli leader, who told the weekly cabinet meeting that ‘we will do everything to thwart a bad and dangerous deal that will cast a dark cloud on the future of the state of Israel and its security,’” Times of Israel said. “Obama, for his part, said Monday there was no reason to extend nuclear talks with Iran once again, stressing the question now was whether Tehran actually wanted an agreement. ‘I don’t see a further extension being useful if they have not agreed to the basic formulation and the bottom line that the world requires to have confidence that they’re not pursuing a nuclear weapon,’ Obama said. ‘The issues have been clarified, gaps have been narrowed, the Iranians have abided by the agreement,’ he added.” “’The issues now are sufficiently narrowed and sufficiently clarified where we’re at the point where they need to make a decision,’ he added.” “The president said that the group known as the P5+1 — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States — is set to present Iran with a deal that would allow for them to become a peaceful nuclear power, but at the same time would give the international community ‘absolute assurance, that is verifiable, that they are not pursuing a nuclear weapon.’”