July 14, 2015
Washington, DC, USA, Melbourne, Australia…B’nai B’rith International and The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) have expressed their deep concern about the just announced deal on Iran’s nuclear program and have urged Congress to reject the deal if vital benchmarks have been pulled back.
Dan Mariaschin, Executive Vice President of B’nai B’rith International and Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“We are deeply concerned and disappointed by the just-announced deal and are very worried about Iran’s true intentions for its nuclear program. Given Iran’s troubling track record in so many areas, one is hard pressed not be sceptical about Iran following through on the agreement. In the days leading up to the agreement, on “al-Quds Day,” government inspired crowds called for “death to America,” and U.S. and Israeli flags were burned across the country. The fact that verification has been a point of contention throughout this process is highly revealing. We fear that inspectors will never be granted managed, unfettered or spontaneous access, because Iran has consistently rejected this point all along. According to the terms of the deal, the arms embargo is being lifted in five years, but the arms race will begin sooner than that, as other countries will begin stockpiling weapons. Sanctions that are being lifted now will never be reinstated, because it was too difficult to get full coalition approval the first time around. Apparently, even some of the terrorism sanctions will be lifted because they will be classified as nuclear instead of non-nuclear. All the basic components of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure will now be allowed to solidify with the international community’s blessing. At no point during the past nearly two years of negotiations has Iran lessened its support for terrorist organizations, its hegemonistic goals in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, or its continued abuse of human rights. The P5+1 worked hard during this time to secure a deal. But perhaps the hopeful quest for a breakthrough overshadowed Iran’s long record of deception and denial about its nuclear program. Tehran’s history underscores the likelihood that Iran will cheat again under this new deal. What is required now is tremendous vigilance. Congress needs to ask tough questions about inspections, plutonium enrichment and sanctions relief, including Iran’s demand to immediately begin acquiring conventional weapons. If upon inspecting the details, Congress discovers the agreement proves unsatisfactory on crucial issues, then Congress should reject the deal”
The Anti-Defamation Commission, founded in 1979, is Australia’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through educational programs that combat bigotry, prejudice and all forms of hatred.
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272 5677
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