‘We’re closer than ever to an Iran nuclear deal’

The six-world powers are closer than ever to a deal with Tehran that would “close off” Iran’s ability to produce atomic weapons, US Secretary of State John Kerry optimistically told member states of the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on Monday.

 

“I want you to know the hard work is far from over and some key issues remain unresolved. But we are, in fact, closer than ever to the good comprehensive deal that we have been seeking. And if we can get there, the entire world will be safer,” Kerry said.

 

Israel has opposed the deal which the six world powers — the US, Russia, China, France, Great Britain and Germany — hope to finalize by June 30. Jerusalem has argued that the deal would legitimize Iran’s nuclear weapons program and leave it with the ability, after a decade, to become a nuclear threshold state with almost no break-out time.

 

Kerry told the NPT that the deal would put in place a verification program that would monitor Iran’s nuclear program and ensure the international community that it was indeed peaceful.

 

Read More: Kerry: ‘We’re closer than ever to an Iran nuclear deal’ – Middle East – Jerusalem Post