Obama: Diplomacy is the Strongest Way to Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons

The President of the United States welcomed the United Nations Security Council resolution endorsing the nuclear agreement with Iran, stating that the adoption of this resolution is a "clear message" indicating that "diplomacy has so far been our strongest method to ensure that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons." According to Agence France-Presse, Barack Obama on Monday, July 20, referred to what he called a "broad international consensus" in support of this agreement, saying that his "working assumption" is that "Congress will also pay attention to this consensus." The U.S. Congress, which is controlled by the rival faction of the President, can approve or reject the nuclear agreement with Iran. Barack Obama's welcome of the Security Council resolution comes as the Israeli government, which enjoys significant support in Congress, has declared that it does not recognize this agreement and is strongly opposed to it. In recent days, the Obama administration has attempted to alleviate the concerns of Israel and several other countries in the region regarding this matter. Ashton Carter, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, also visited Israel on Monday and stated that Israel is "the cornerstone of U.S. strategy" in the region. Mr. Carter, in a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Moshe Ya'alon, said, "We are working together to maintain our security and comfort in this tumultuous region." The Israeli Defense Minister, without referencing the two countries' disagreement over the agreement with Iran, stated, "We discuss our common interests and values." Mr. Ya'alon added, "Today we have the opportunity to discuss the regional situation. This situation changes every day. Therefore, we must coordinate our strategy to address the challenges."