LONDON: The US secretary of state, John Kerry, said yesterday that the window for diplomacy with Iran over its nuclear programme was “cracking open”, but added that “no deal is better than a bad deal”.
Kerry made the comments in a speech made via satellite from London to a foreign policy conference in California staged by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), the most powerful pro-Israel lobbying organisation in the US. The State Department released excerpts of Kerry’s prepared remarks.
Also, Kerry and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, held talks on Iran, Syria, Egypt and the Middle East peace process. The focus on Iran’s nuclear programme comes before the start of negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the five permanent UN security council members and Germany, which are set for tomorrow and Wednesday in Geneva.
Earlier yesterday, Iran said it would not allow any of its enriched uranium stockpile to be shipped abroad, but said it could sanction other curbs on its nuclear programme in order to reassure the international community that it is not interested in building a bomb.
“Right now, the window for diplomacy is cracking open. But I want you to know that our eyes are open, too,” Kerry said. “While we seek a peaceful resolution to Iran’s nuclear programme, words must be matched with actions,” said Kerry. Guardian news
