Obama assuages Netanyahu on Iran post ‘historic blunder’ remarks

Washington – President Barack Obama has reaffirmed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on working out a comprehensive solution for preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, after the latter condemned the international community’s nuclear deal with Tehran as a “historic mistake.”

Netanyahu said that Sunday’s deal gave Iran much-needed relief from the sanctions, but left most of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure intact.

Obama called Netanyahu to discuss the interim nuclear deal that the U.S. and five other world leaders reached to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting some sanctions, Fox News reports.

The White House called the nuclear agreement an “initial, six-month step,” which means that the world powers and Iran will try to reach a final agreement over the coming six months that would ensure that Tehran never develops a nuclear bomb.

Netanyahu said in his statement that the world had become a “more dangerous place” as a result of the deal and reiterated that it is Israel’s duty and right to use military action against Iran, if needed, to defend itself.

However, Obama said that the deal limits Iran’s existing stockpiles of enriched uranium, and also curbs the capabilities of the centrifuges used to enrich uranium.

He said the deal would also limit Iran’s ability to produce “weapons-grade plutonium” from a reactor in the advanced stages of construction and there would be “intrusive monitoring” of Iran’s nuclear programme.