Gov’t rejects Iran deal as a ruse

Says Iranian deal is a maneuver to prevent agreement on sanctions.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Netanyahu cabinet 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Netanyahu cabinet 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The Israeli government described the latest Iranian nuclear deal as a trick designed to prevent the imposition of UN Security Council sanctions.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with the "Septet" of seven key ministers on Tuesday, to discuss Israel's response to the Iranian nuclear fuel reprocessing agreement, brokered by Brazil and Turkey.
Netanyahu instructed ministers not to make any public pronouncements before they had agreed a united response.  Ministers concluded that the latest agreement is a maneuver to prevent the UN Security Council from agreeing on sanctions. They concluded the Iranian ruse will probably succeed as the Security council will be forced to study the new proposals.
Iran signed the agreement with Turkey and Brazil on Monday, in the face of growing likelihood of UN Security Council sanctions. Turkey and Brazil are currently non-permanent members of the Security Council, and Brazil is seeking a permanent seat on the council. Both countries have strong economic ties with Iran and are seeking a greater role in the Middle East.
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The new agreement is similar to an earlier agreement, also used to offset sanctions, in which Iran was supposed to ship its enriched uranium to Russia, for processing into fuel rods that could not be used for weapons. On that occasion, Iran refused to implement the agreement. 
The US, Britain and Germany have responded to the agreement with caution and are continuing to push for sanctions. Russia and China have welcomed the deal, but Medvedev has advised caution.
Under the deal Iran will ship most, but not all, of its enriched uranium to Turkey and in return receive uranium fuel rods for research, which cannot be used for weapons. In the event that the fuel rods are not delivered to Iran within a year, Turkey undertakes to return the original uranium to Iran.