Nuclear Iran is ‘threat to Israel and global security’

The Foreign secretary and Shadow Foreign secretary have offered caution to rushing into a deal over Iran. Douglas Alexander stressed that the threat a nuclear Iran would pose, would be both to Israel and to wider global security. 

Giving a statement to the House of Commons, Foreign Secretary Philip Mr Hammond described the E3+3 talks as “tough and complex”, but stressed a comprehensive agreement would bring “enormous benefits to all parties”.

Negotiations include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Germany, with Iran, regarding regards its nuclear program.

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Israel and other Western powers have accused Iran of attempting to enrich Uranium for the purposes of developing a nuclear bomb, although Iran staunchly stands behind its right to do so in order to develop nuclear power. 

Sanctions over Iran’s failure to stop its program have crippled Iran’s economy, and the subsequent talks to try to resolve the conflict have failed to reach a comprehensive agreement, in Vienna. 

Hammond said that “we would of course have preferred to reach a comprehensive deal by yesterday’s deadline but only if it was the right deal.”

In response, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander outlined that failing to reach a deal “is of course a setback, but it is better than either a bad deal or a rupture in the negotiations…which would have freed Iran from its commitment not to accelerate its efforts to develop nuclear energy while negotiations proceed.” 

Alexander stresses that allowing it to break away from its commitments not to accelerate its alleged nuclear program, may risk Iran becoming nuclear.

He said “a nuclear armed Iran would thus present a further regional challenge” and that “A nuclear armed Iran poses a threat not only to Israel and its neighbours but to wider global security.”

“Secretary of State Kerry was right to say that these talks will not get any easier just because they go on longer. Unless there is a real breakthrough soon on the key heads of agreement including on centrifuges and stockpiles, 2015 could see a progressive unravelling of political momentum for a deal on both sides.”