Subscribe free to our newsletters via your




NUKEWARS
US Treasury chief defends Iran nuclear deal
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) June 7, 2015


US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew defended negotiations for a nuclear deal with Iran amid boos during a speech to a pro-Israel audience Sunday.

Lew was interrupted several times by heckling from the audience at an annual New York conference sponsored by The Jerusalem Post as he laid out the US administration's position on the nuclear negotiations.

"A diplomatic solution is the best, most enduring path to achieve our goal of keeping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," he said.

"But we have also been clear, we remain steadfast in our determination to take any steps necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. That is not just important to Israel's security but America's security."

He rejected reports that Iran's uranium stockpile has grown over the 18 months of the negotiations, and insisted that an interim agreement has succeeded in containing its nuclear program.

Iran "has halted and scaled back key elements of its nuclear program. And we have gained unprecedented insight into Iran's nuclear activities," Lew said.

"Even though Iran's stockpile of uranium has gone up and down at various times over the past 18 months, this was something we anticipated and at each of the deadlines that have been set, Iran's uranium stockpile levels have been within the levels that were agreed to."

The New York Times reported June 1 that international inspectors found that Iran's stockpile of nuclear fuel increased about 20 percent over the past 18 months.

- Defending against 'bad deal' claims -

Negotiators representing the United States have until the end of the month to reach a comprehensive agreement limiting Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes but western nations fear is aimed at acquiring if not a bomb, then the capability to build one.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emerged as the most vocal opponent of an agreement, warning against a "bad deal that paves the way for a bomb."

Lew, who is an orthodox Jew, insisted, however, that the United States was "not operating on an assumption that Iran will act in good faith."

"This deal will only be finalized if the connective tissue of the agreement meets a tough standard of intense verification and scrutiny," he said.

"If we reach an agreement and Iran ends up flouting its obligations, we will know, and we will have preserved all our options -- including economic and military measures -- to make sure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon."

Lew said sanctions have cost Iran $160 billion in oil revenues since 2012, and caused Iran's economy to shrink nine percent in the two years ending in March 2014.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








NUKEWARS
No trust in Iran nuclear talks: top negotiator
Tehran (AFP) June 6, 2015
A top Iranian official, in an unusual declaration Saturday, said there remains no trust between Tehran and world powers and either side could yet abandon a nuclear deal after signing. In comments that laid bare a paradox of long-running negotiations between Iran and the West, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an agreement - due by June 30 - was nearing despite neither side trusti ... read more


NUKEWARS
Nepal parties reach long-awaited charter deal after quake

Crossing minefields to get to school in Colombia

China ship tragedy toll above 400, relatives and workers remember dead

UN's new weather chief seeks to improve disaster alerts

NUKEWARS
GLONASS to Go on Stream in 2015

Satellites make a load of difference to bridge safety

Advanced Navigation Releases Interface and Logging Unit

Raytheon delivers hardware for next-gen USAF GPS system

NUKEWARS
Cooking up cognition

World's last tribes on collision course with modern society

Out of Africa via Egypt

New human ancestor species from Ethiopia lived alongside Lucy's species

NUKEWARS
Do cheaters have an evolutionary advantage?

A smelling bee?

Study points to human impact on evolution of freshwater fish

Researchers develop facial recognition software for birds

NUKEWARS
HIV's sweet tooth is its downfall

US military confirms more anthrax blunders

Pentagon admits wider problem with anthrax shipments

Why you need one vaccine for measles and many for the flu

NUKEWARS
China cites 'tremendous' human rights progress in report

China's miniature homemakers cut down to size

Far from the madding crowd: China's rich seek own islands

China's new tech giants show old bias with porn stars

NUKEWARS
Polish bootcamp trains security contractors for mission impossible

A blast and gunfire: Mexico's chopper battle

NUKEWARS
China economy shows more weakness as imports, exports fall

China manufacturing index at six-month high but strains remain

Bernanke blames Congress as China flexes economic muscles

China bottle maker declares default on $100 mn bonds




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.