The White House has delivered a pre-emptive strike against Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s anticipated attack on US negotiations with Iran - with Barack Obama revealing key details of an emerging deal that is designed to prevent Tehran developing nuclear weapons for “a decade or more”., The Guardian reported on Tuesday.
The Israeli prime minister is expected on Tuesday to criticize the proposals as threatening his country’s “survival” in a highly charged speech to Congress that has angered Democrats and plunged US relations with Israel to new lows.
In a whirlwind round of public interventions by Barack Obama and top aides on Monday, the administration showed its determination not to let Netanyahu derail the talks by lobbying Congress to step in.
“Soundbites won’t stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon,” Susan Rice, Obama’s national security adviser, told a conference of pro-Israeli activists in Washington in an uncompromising speech that did little to ease tensions.
Earlier Obama appeared to confirm rumors, previously denied, that the deal with Iran could last as little as 10 years, although he pledged the duration would at least be “double digits”.
Obama said the chances of successful deal remained difficult but his interview appeared to contradict recent denials by his press secretary that a 10-year option was under consideration. Officials later told the Guardian there was “no discrepancy” because the president also said it could be longer.