Kerry leaves Israel for Switzerland to discuss deal on Iran's nukes

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry left Israel for talks on Iran's nuclear program Friday as Israeli leader Binyamin Netanyahu derided any deal with Iran. Kerry left Israel for Geneva to assist in negotiations with Iran, making no concluding statement on his meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, the Los Angeles Times said. Two State Department officials said Kerry went to Geneva "in an effort to help narrow differences in negotiations" with Iran, CNN reported. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius also would join the talks. Hours earlier, Iran's foreign minister said officials could reach an agreement sometime Friday, CNN said. "I believe it is possible to reach an understanding or an agreement before we close these negotiations [Friday] evening," Javid Zarif, Iran's foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator, told CNN. During an interview with NBC News that aired Thursday, President Obama also spoke of a "possibility of a phased agreement" with Iran on nuclear issues. If a deal is reached, the first step would require Iran to halt advances in its nuclear program in return for "very modest relief" from economic sanctions. But, Obama said, the United States would still keep "core sanctions" in place and would reimpose them if necessary. In Jerusalem, Israeli media reported Kerry canceled a planned joint statement to avoid disagreeing with Netanyahu in public. Kerry told reporters he said everything he needed to say during a private, 2-hour meeting with Netanyahu. Going into his meeting with Kerry, the Israeli prime minister expressed displeasure at an emerging agreement with Iran in Geneva, as well as voicing differences with the United States on the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "I understand the Iranians are walking around very satisfied in Geneva, as well they should be," Netanyahu said. "Iran got the deal of the century and the international community got a bad deal." He said the agreement does not obligate Israel, which he said would do "everything it needs to defend itself and defend the security of its people." After the meeting, Netanyahu said he urged Kerry "not to rush to sign, to wait, to reconsider and get a good deal." On Thursday, Kerry cautioned Israel that the price of failing to reach an accord with Palestinian leaders could lead to violence and a third Palestinian uprising. A U.S. Senate aide briefed by the White House, State Department and diplomats in Geneva told British newspaper The Telegraph the proposed deal with Iran had four key points: -- Iran would stop enriching uranium to the 20 percent level that is close to weapons grade and would turn its existing supply of this material into a harmless oxide. -- The country would be allowed to enrich uranium to the 3.5 percent purity needed for nuclear power stations, but would have to limit the number of centrifuges used for this purpose. It would not have to remove or disable any centrifuges. -- Iran would agree not to activate its plutonium reactor at Arak, a city 185 miles southwest of Tehran, during the six-month period. But the country would be allowed to continue developing the facility. -- Iran would agree not to use advanced centrifuges that can enrich uranium up to five times faster than the existing, older model.