Loading ...Full text: Obama’s news conference on the Iran nuclear deal
President Obama held a news conference Wednesday, saying he expects the debate over the historic nuclear deal with Iran to be robust. Here is the full text of his remarks.
OBAMA: Please have a seat. Good afternoon, everybody. Yesterday was a historic day.
OBAMA: The comprehensive long-term deal that we achieved with our allies and partners to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon represents a powerful display of American leadership and diplomacy. It shows what we can accomplish when we lead from a position of strength and a position of principle when we unite the international community around a shared vision and we resolve to solve problems peacefully.
As I said yesterday, it’s important for the American people and Congress to get a full opportunity to review this deal. That process is now underway. I’ve already reached out to leaders in Congress on both sides of the aisle. My national security team has begun offering extensive briefings.
I expect the debate to be robust and that’s how it should be. This is an important issue. Our national security policies are stronger and more effective when they are subject to the scrutiny and transparency that democracy demands.
And as I said yesterday, the details of this deal matter very much. That’s why our team worked so hard for so long to get the details right. At the same time, as this debate unfolds, I hope we don’t lose sight of the larger picture, the opportunity that this agreement represents.
As we go forward, it’s important for everybody to remember the alternative, and the fundamental choice that this moment represents. With this deal, we cut off every single one of Iran’s pathways to a nuclear program, a nuclear weapons program.
And Iran’s nuclear program will be under severe limits for many years. Without a deal, those pathways remain open. There would be no limits to Iran’s nuclear program, and Iran could move closer to a nuclear bomb. With this deal, we gain unprecedented around the clock monitoring of Iran’s key nuclear facilities in the most comprehensive and intrusive inspection and verification regime ever negotiated.
Source: www.washingtonpost.com