JERUSALEM
(NNN-MA'AN) - Israel's intelligence minister slammed as unacceptable, comments
by US Secretary of State John Kerry, on negotiations with Iran over its nuclear
programme, which he said, indicated a "surrender" to Tehran.
"The
things Kerry said in Congress are worrying, they are surprising and they are
unacceptable," Yuval Steinitz, who is also strategic affairs minister, told
public radio.
"We
watch the negotiations with concern. We are not opposed to a diplomatic
solution, but we are against a solution which is entirely a surrender to Iran
and which leaves it a threshold nuclear state," Steinitz said.
In
remarks to US lawmakers last week, Kerry warned that the Islamic republic was
two months away from breakout capability to produce enough nuclear material for
a bomb, should they resume their mothballed enrichment process.
Responding
to reports that international negotiations with Iran should focus on extending
the time it would take for Iran to produce nuclear weapons to between six and
12 months, Kerry said, the ultimate goal was assurance that Iran never build an
atomic bomb, but slowing the process would be an improvement on the current
situation.
"I
think it is fair to say, I think it is public knowledge today, that we are
operating with a time period for a so-called breakout of about two
months," Kerry said.
"So
six months to 12 months is -- I'm not saying that's what we'd settle for -- but
even that is significantly more," he added.
Steinitz
insisted that Israel would not allow such a scenario.
"We
will not be able to adopt and accept any agreement, which leaves Iran months or
a year from a nuclear weapon," he insisted.
Israel,
like the United States, has refused to rule out military action, to prevent
Tehran from acquiring nuclear arms.
Under
an interim agreement reached last year that expires on July 20, Iran froze key
parts of its nuclear programme, in return for limited sanctions relief and a
promise of no new sanctions.
Talks
on a permanent agreement are under way between Iran and UN Security Council
permanent members, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, along
with Germany.
After
a session in Vienna last week, the powers' chief negotiator, EU foreign policy
chief, Catherine Ashton said, the next round from May 13 would see negotiations
"move to the next phase."
The
West and Israel have long suspected Iran of using its nuclear energy programme
as a cover for developing atomic weapons, a charge denied by the Islamic
republic.
Israel
is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the region, though it
has never officially confirmed or denied having such an arsenal.-- NNN-MA'AN
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