U.S. Chief Negotiator: Military Strike Won't Stop Iran's Nuclear Program

The head of the United States' negotiating team for the nuclear talks with Iran, Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, told Israel's diplomatic reporters in a briefing on Monday that it was possible to reach a comprehensive and detailed agreement with Iran by the June 30 deadline.

"We think we are headed for a good deal," Sherman said. "Is it a perfect deal? No. There is no such thing as a perfect deal… There is no formula or option that will be more effective than the diplomatic track - this is where we are today."

Sherman told the reporters that a military operation against Iran would not stop its nuclear program. "A military strike by Israel or the U.S. would only set back the nuclear program by two years," she said. "You can't bomb their nuclear know-how, and they will rebuild everything. The alternatives are there but the best option is a diplomatic negotiated solution."

Sherman's briefing to Israeli media is part of the American administration's attempt to pass on a message of calm to the Israeli public and to the Jewish community in the United States about the framework agreement reach with Iran, to explain its components and the process underway until June 30.

Sherman emphasized during the briefing that the U.S. shared Israel's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program, its involvement in terror around the world and its subversive activities in the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's concerns are legitimate, Sherman said.

"There is no difference [between the U.S. and Israel] on the concern about the Iranian nuclear program but on the way to deal with it," she added.

Despite the differences, Sherman said, the two countries are at one about the need to halt Iran's aid to Hezbollah, Basher Assad's regime in Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen. But, she said, "We believe we can't condition Iran not getting a nuclear weapon on other issues. Getting the deal is difficult enough."

Sherman also told the Israeli reporters during the briefing that the U.S. is totally committed to Israel's security and is interested in opening a dialogue with Israel's new government to discuss improving Israel's security preparedness after the deal with Iran goes into effect. She said such talks are aimed at maintaining the Israeli army's qualitative edge and ensuring that Israel will be fully capable of defending itself.

"Israel's right to exist and Iran's actions in the region will be dealt with on a parallel track," Sherman said. "The U.S. will consult Israel on what it needs for its security."

Sherman also told reporters that both the American and Israeli intelligence communities agree that Iran is not yet close to have the capability to produce a nuclear weapon and that Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei has yet to make the decision to produce such a weapon. "They don’t have enough fissile material and don’t have delivery system or weapon per se," she said. "It would take them a considerable period of time to get all that."

A deal based on supervision, not trust

Sherman said the date for the next round of talks between Iran and the world powers would be announced in the next few days. In the time remaining until June 30, she said, the sides will deal with the wording of the comprehensive agreement and with solving the disagreement still on the table, including the lifting of the sanctions on Iran and how the international supervision of its nuclear program will be carried out.

The deal with Iran will not be based on trust, but on a system of supervision and control, Sherman said. She noted that world powers will negotiate with Iran for an access agreement, so that the International Atomic Energy Agency's inspectors will be able to go wherever they need.

According to Sherman, the world powers are striving to ensure that the final agreement include unprecedented transparency in the Iranian nuclear program, making it difficult for Iran to attempt deception, and easier for the world powers to respond should such deception be discovered. "We have worked out a dispute mechanism," she said. "If we decided that there was a serious violation, the U.S. or any of the P5+1 can make a decision to snap back sanctions."

Sherman added that leveling further sanctions against Iran may up the pressure on the Iranian regime, but could at the same time push the Iranians to accelerate their nuclear program. Some of the world powers which participate in the talks with Iran do not support additional sanctions, she said. "The sanctions brought them to the table but they didn’t stop their nuclear program," Sherman said. "The joint plan of action did that," she added, referring to the interim deal signed in Geneva last year.

Sherman mentioned in her briefing Khamenei's remark over the weekend that his country would not allow IAEA inspectors to enter its military bases, and that it would demand that all of the sanctions be lifted immediately after the comprehensive agreement is reached.

"We heard his comments," Sherman said. "There is a lot of spin in capitals all around the world, including Tehran, about the framework in order to deal with domestic public opinion. It happened after the joint plan of action too and they [the Iranians] implemented it fully. We think the supreme leader is posturing for the next round of talks in order to pressure the P5+1 about issues that are difficult for Iran."

"We will demand access to where IAEA inspectors think they need access to," Sherman added. "There is no doubt that providing access to IAEA, to resolve possible military dimensions, is one of the steps that must be taken by Iran before sanctions relief. We have a way forward about this and we are confident this issue will be addressed."

U.S. calming efforts

As part of the administration's efforts to pass a calming message to Israelis and U.S. Jews, White House Deputy National Adviser Ben Rhodes last week granted an interview to Israeli television channels. Secretary of State John Kerry and Sherman last Wednesday gave over a two hour briefing to Jewish leaders in the U.S.

U.S. President Barack Obama will hold two separate meetings in the White House with dozens of U.S. Jewish leaders. Obama administration officials have held several conversations with Israeli government officials to discuss the Iran deal since the framework agreement was announced in Lausanne early this month, in addition to the phone call between Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the day the deal was announced, said a senior figure in the Obama administration. The official said the talks dealt primarily with Israel's arguments against the deal.

The official said he hopes it will be possible to kick off talks shortly between Israel and the United States to discuss tightening security coordination between the two countries after the deal goes into effect.