Kerry: Intense Debate Underway in Iran Over Choosing Between Missiles and Negotiations
According to CNN, the U.S. Secretary of State defended the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers on Tuesday, April 7, before a Senate hearing to examine easing financial restrictions on Tehran.
The U.S. Secretary of State, acknowledging sharp criticism of the agreement reached to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, told MSNBC that even within Iran there are intense debates over whether Iran should choose missiles instead of negotiations.
According to the Associated Press, he stated: “What I think you’re seeing is tension” between moderates and hardliners over Iran’s future path.
It appears the U.S. Secretary of State was referring to remarks made by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 31, when, while defending Iran’s missile program, he accused critics of the program within the country of either “treason” or “ignorance.”
Following these remarks, hardliners and affiliated platforms launched sharp attacks against Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of the Expediency Discernment Council, who a week earlier had posted a tweet attributed to him stating: “Tomorrow’s world is a world of discourse, not missiles.”
Rafsanjani responded saying that “his remarks were from seven years ago.”
The U.S. Secretary of State told MSNBC: “Iran needs to make some clear decisions about the role it’s going to play in the region and in the world.”
John Kerry stressed that “if they (Iranians) want to cheat, we will know.”
His remarks came hours before a hearing of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee to discuss the implementation of the Vienna agreement. Thomas Shannon, Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, is scheduled to testify at this hearing.
The hearing coincides with reports that the Obama administration may likely ease the prohibition on dollar use in trade transactions with Iran. Opposing lawmakers in Congress, which is controlled by Republicans, believe Iran is benefiting more from the Vienna agreement than it deserves.
Although no decision has yet been made by the Obama administration on this matter, the Associated Press reports that some U.S. officials told the news agency that the Treasury Department is preparing a general license that would allow foreign financial institutions outside U.S. territory to use dollars for currency transactions to support legitimate trade with Iran. Currently, Iran cannot use dollars for its trade transactions.
This report was issued while Mark Toner, spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said on Monday that the Obama administration has no intention of allowing Iran to access the U.S. financial system.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was agreed upon by Iran and six world powers on July 14 last year, under which Tehran agreed to suspend many of its nuclear activities. In return, billions of dollars of its assets that were frozen in foreign banks due to international sanctions would be released. However, despite three months having passed since the JCPOA’s implementation, Iran says it has been unable to benefit from its advantages.
The Associated Press reports that committee members are likely to pressure Shannon, saying that stricter sanctions against Iran should be imposed, since Tehran has violated Security Council resolutions by conducting missile tests.
This is while officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have repeatedly stated that conducting these tests does not contradict the JCPOA or Security Council Resolution 2231.
Source: Radio Farda
