Clinton: Iran Must Be Held Accountable for Any Minor Violation of Nuclear Agreement

Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidential election, defended the Iran nuclear agreement on Monday, April 2, but stated that Tehran must be held accountable for even the smallest violation of the agreement, and if necessary, force will be used in this regard. According to Reuters, Clinton made these remarks before 15,000 Jewish voters at the annual AIPAC conference - a pro-Israel lobby - in Washington, adding that the U.S., Israel, and other parts of the world are safer as a result of the Iran nuclear agreement. She emphasized that the U.S. must remain distrustful of Iran and prioritize verification. The Democratic candidate stressed, "If I become President, Iranian leaders should not doubt that if we see the slightest indication that they are not adhering to their commitments, or if they seek to acquire or develop nuclear weapons, the U.S. will take action to stop it, and if necessary, we will resort to force." She added, "Iran's recent provocations, such as ballistic missile tests, are unacceptable and must be met with a decisive response, including the imposition of further sanctions." Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had announced that it had designed a 2,000-kilometer missile to target Israel. Before Clinton's remarks, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden issued a similar warning to Tehran, stating that Iran would face U.S. retaliation if it violated its commitments. His reference was to certain provisions of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the West, which allow for the re-imposition of sanctions against Tehran in the event of violations by the Islamic Republic. Clinton is currently ahead of her rival in the Democratic Party, Bernie Sanders, in many U.S. states and is likely to be nominated as the party's main candidate in the upcoming November presidential election. In another part of her speech, she attacked Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate, stating that the U.S. President cannot be "neutral" when it comes to Israel. According to AFP, she stated, "We must have a consistent position, not that a President says on Monday that he is neutral, on Tuesday he supports Israel, and no one knows what position he has on Wednesday, as everything is negotiable." Clinton asserted, "My friends, Israel's security is non-negotiable." Presidential hopefuls in election years typically attend the AIPAC conference. Ted Cruz, John Kasich, and Donald Trump are scheduled to speak at the conference later on Monday. Trump has stated that he wants to be a neutral mediator in peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis. This American billionaire described the relationship between Israel and Palestinians as "probably the most difficult negotiation of its kind" in a December debate. Clinton emphasized the importance of "choosing a President with a deep personal commitment to Israel's future." According to the New York Times website, following Clinton's speech, the Republican National Committee issued a statement criticizing her remarks and questioning her long-term commitment to Israel. The statement read, "Hillary Clinton's speech is an attempt to erase her record of undermining Israeli interests during her time as Secretary of State." The Republican National Committee added, "As the architect of Obama’s foreign policy, her support for policies such as the disastrous nuclear agreement with Iran and her role as a vocal advocate for Obama regarding Israel calls into question her commitment to our closest ally in the most tumultuous region of the world." Bernie Sanders, Clinton's rival in the Democratic Party, who is Jewish himself, declined the AIPAC invitation due to his busy campaign schedule in western states. In a letter regarding his absence from the conference, he stated, "Clearly, issues related to Israel and the Middle East are important to me, my country, and the world."