Iran Nuclear Deal, page-8

I suppose that there are some strong reasons for Washington and Tehran to cooperate against common foes, above all Islamic State, the Sunni Muslim militant group that has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq. Washington has been bombing Islamic State from the air while Tehran aids Iraqi militias fighting it on the ground.


Here is what British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters concerning the deal.

"The big prize here is that, as Iran comes out of the isolation of the last decades and is much more engaged with Western countries, Iranians hopefully begin to travel in larger numbers again, Western companies are able to invest and trade with Iran, there is an opportunity for an opening now."

"HISTORIC MISTAKE"

Still, Washington's friends in the region were furious, especially Israel, whose prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has cultivated a close relationship with Obama's Republican opponents in Congress.

"Iran will get a jackpot, a cash bonanza of hundreds of billions of dollars, which will enable it to continue to pursue its aggression and terror in the region and in the world," he said. "Iran is going to receive a sure path to nuclear weapons."

From his statement, the deal is about more than just the nuclear issue.

His deputy foreign minister, Tzipi Hotovely, denounced a "historic surrender" and said Israel would "act with all means to try and stop the agreement being ratified", a clear threat to use its influence to try and block it in Congress.