Kerry: 'The fight's over' between Netanyahu, Obama on Iran deal
"I think he recognized that the fight's over and we can move on," CNN quotes Kerry as saying of Netanyahu.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, HERB KEINONUpdated: JANUARY 22, 2016 13:02US Secretary of State John Kerry with PM Netanyahu(photo credit: MATTY STERN, US EMBASSY TEL AVIV)
US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday stated that "the fight's over" between the Israeli and American governments, regarding the Iranian nuclear deal, now that the accord has been implemented, according to a CNN report.Kerry's remarks came days after the formal commencement of the nuclear agreement Saturday, following which world powers eased sanctions on the Islamic Republic."I think he recognized that the fight's over and we can move on," CNN quoted Kerry as saying of the premier.Also on Thursday, Netanyahu and Kerry met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.During a public interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on center stage at the World Economic Forum, Netanyahu said he hoped he would be proven wrong in his fierce objections to the nuclear deal with Israel's arch-foe, “though I have my doubts, and we shall see very soon.”Now that the deal has been signed, he said, there are three things that must be done, and on this he sees “eye to eye” with US President Barack Obama. The first is to keep the Iranians’ “feet to the fire” and ensure they fulfill their obligations under the agreement.The second is to resist Iranian aggression in the region by bolstering America’s allies, “first and foremost which is Israel.”And the third thing, the prime minister said, is the need to begin dismantling the terrorist network that Iran – through Hezbollah – has established around the world.The International Atomic Energy Agency on Saturday ruled Iran had abided by last July's deal with world powers curbing its nuclear program, spelling a windfall in sanctions relief. A parallel Iranian-U.S. prisoner exchange, devised in secrecy, drove home the adversaries' desire to reengage diplomatically.The developments put paid to years of intensive Israeli lobbying for more comprehensive curbs on Tehran - a campaign that strained relations between Netanyahu and Obama.
Following the implementation of the deal, Obama repeated US assurances to the security of Israel and other regional allies.Michael Wilner and Reuters contributed to this report.