More Quotes
Michael Mann, spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs: “We have a new offer on the table which addresses our main concerns about the Iranian nuclear program. The 20-percent enrichment question. We hope the Iranians respond positively and we can make progress today.”
Source: Haaretz
US State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland: “The announcement of the deal is one thing, but the implementation is what we’re going to be looking for, for Iran to truly follow through and provide the access to all of the locations, the documents, and the personnel that the IAEA requires in order to determine whether Iran’s program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.”
US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: “Any comprehensive policy that seeks to end Iran’s effort to acquire a nuclear weapon needs to convince the rulers in Tehran that their survival is in question. The Senate has worked hard to improve our sanctions toward Iran, and this effort, combined with the sanctions of the European Union, should strengthen the hand of our own negotiators.”
Source: Business Week
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to reporters in Prague: “Obviously, nothing would be better than to see this issue resolved diplomatically. But I have seen no evidence that Iran is serious about stopping its nuclear weapons program. It looks as though they see these talks as another opportunity to deceive and delay just like North Korea did for years. They may try to go from meeting to meeting with empty promises. They may agree to something in principle but not implement it. They might even agree to implement something that does not materially derail their nuclear weapons program. Iran is good at playing this chess game. They know that sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn to save the king. The goal of these negotiations should be very clear: Freeze all enrichment inside Iran.”
Source: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
US Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro: “It would be preferable to resolve this diplomatically through the use of pressure than to use military force. But that doesn’t mean that option is not fully available. Not just available, but it’s ready. The necessary planning has been done to ensure that it’s ready.”
Jose Maria Aznar, former Spanish prime minister: “I don’t think it’s fair putting all the burden of solving the global problems on the shoulders of Israel. But given the current environment, the decision makers here in Jerusalem must face the question of how to deal with an impending nuclear Iran. In any case, we should accept that Israel has the right to defend itself, by itself.”
Source: Times of Israel