Skip to main content

Obama: Diplomacy with Iran has restrained nuclear program

US President Barack Obama says that since the start of the nuclear talks with Iran, it is "probably the first year-and-a-half in which Iran has not advanced its nuclear program in the last decade."
U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement about an agreement reached with Iran on its nuclear program at the White House in Washington November 23, 2013. Obama said on Saturday that a deal between Iran and six major powers was an important first step toward a comprehensive solution to Iran's nuclear program. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX15QME
Read in 

US President Barack Obama issued a vigorous defense of his policy of diplomatic engagement with historic adversaries such as Cuba and Iran, saying the negotiations with Iran have resulted in demonstrable restraints on Iran’s nuclear program.

“You look at an example like Iran, over the last year-and-a-half, since we began negotiations with them, that's probably the first year-and-a-half in which Iran has not advanced its nuclear program in the last decade,” Obama said in an interview with CNN’s Candy Crowley Dec. 21.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.