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Kerry Meets With Netanyahu Before Iran Talks 3 European Officials Join Kerry at Iran Talks
(about 2 hours later)
TEL AVIV — With fissures over Iran deepening between the United States and Israel, Secretary of State John Kerry met here Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before flying to Geneva to join talks over a potential interim deal on the Iranian nuclear program. GENEVA — Secretary of State John Kerry and foreign ministers from France, Britain and Germany planned to join the push here on Friday for an interim agreement that would freeze Iran’s nuclear program.
Mr. Kerry’s decision to cut short a tour of the Middle East and go to Geneva has buoyed expectations that the United States and five other major powers are poised to sign a preliminary accord with Iran, which could freeze its uranium enrichment in return for some easing of sanctions. Mr. Kerry was scheduled to have a three-way meeting Friday afternoon with Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, who oversees the multiparty negotiations.
State Department officials tried to manage expectations, noting that Mr. Kerry had previously agreed to take part in the talks if it could help bridge gaps and that the issues on the table remained complex. The State Department’s spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said in a statement that Mr. Kerry would go to Geneva “in an effort to help narrow the differences in the negotiations.”
The State Department’s spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said in a statement that Mr. Kerry would go to Geneva “in an effort to help narrow the differences in the negotiations.” He is to meet with Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, who oversees the multiparty negotiations. Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, told reporters soon after arriving here on Friday that progress had been made during the latest round of talks with Iranian diplomats, which began on Thursday, but added that “nothing is hard and fast yet.”
In an indication that diplomatic momentum for a deal could be accelerating, news reports said Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, William Hague, the British foreign secretary, and Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister, were planning to join the talks on Friday. “We are working to reach an accord which completes the first step to respond to Iran’s nuclear program,” he said.
Word of a potential deal drew a blistering response from Mr. Netanyahu. Speaking to reporters at Ben-Gurion Airport before he met with Mr. Kerry, he said, “I understand that the Iranians are walking around very satisfied in Geneva, as well they should be, because they got everything and paid nothing. Everything they wanted.” American officials have cast the accord as a “first step,” which would halt the progress in Iran’s nuclear program for perhaps six months to give negotiators time to pursue a more comprehensive agreement. In return, the United States would relax some financial sanctions.
Calling it both “the deal of the century” and a “very bad deal,” Mr. Netanyahu said, “Israel utterly rejects it.” He said his concerns were shared by other countries in the region. Expectations that the world powers were about to conclude a preliminary account with Iran have widened the gap with Israel and some Arab states.
“Israel is not obliged by this agreement,” he added, “and Israel will do everything it needs to defend itself and the security of its people.” Mr. Kerry met in Israel on Friday for more than two hours with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before flying to Geneva to join the talks.
Mr. Netanyahu has lobbied fiercely in recent weeks for the United States to redouble, rather than relax, sanctions. He said a deal would be a “grievous historic error,” enabling Iran to keep enriching uranium and preserve the option of developing nuclear weapons. Afterward, Mr. Netanyahu delivered a blistering statement that accused the United States of rushing into a deal that would do little to reduce Iran’s nuclear efforts while alleviating the economic pressure on Tehran.
Mr. Kerry was adamant during his visit to Israel this week that the West would not rush into a deal. In a joint interview with Israeli and Palestinian journalists on Thursday, he said, “I have said many times we will not make a deal that’s a bad deal, that leaves any of our friends or ourselves exposed to a nuclear weapons program.” “The deal that is being discussed in Geneva right now is a bad deal,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “Iran is not required to take apart even one centrifuge. But the international community is relieving sanctions on Iran for the first time after many years.”
“I urge Secretary Kerry not to rush to sign, to wait, to reconsider, to get a good deal,” Mr. Netanyahu added.
Mr. Kerry was adamant during his visit to Israel this week that the West would not rush into a deal with Iran. In a joint interview with Israeli and Palestinian journalists on Thursday, he said, “I have said many times we will not make a deal that’s a bad deal, that leaves any of our friends or ourselves exposed to a nuclear weapons program.”
The United States, Mr. Kerry said, also would not dismantle its sanctions regime until it had “absolute clarity about what is happening.” Administration officials said a more likely option would be for the West to free up some Iranian assets that are frozen in overseas banks.The United States, Mr. Kerry said, also would not dismantle its sanctions regime until it had “absolute clarity about what is happening.” Administration officials said a more likely option would be for the West to free up some Iranian assets that are frozen in overseas banks.
While Iran was expected to dominate the discussion between Mr. Kerry and Mr. Netanyahu, the secretary of state was likely to press the Israeli leader on negotiations with the Palestinians, which he tried to reinvigorate in several days of shuttle diplomacy here. But Iranian officials have made clear that Tehran intends to preserve the “right” to enrich uranium as part of an interim understanding and also a final deal. Israel has argued that Iran’s ability to enrich uranium needs to be eliminated to ensure it does not maintain the option to develop nuclear weapons.
State Department officials tried to play down expectations of a breakthrough, noting that Mr. Kerry had previously agreed to take part in the talks if he could help bridge gaps. They added that the issues on the table remained complex.
But the reports that Mr. Fabius, William Hague, the British foreign secretary, and Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister, were to join the talks on Friday heightened expectations that an interim accord was at hand.
There was no indication that foreign ministers from Russia or China, the other members of the so-called P-5-plus-1 nations — the world powers involved in the talks — were planning to attend.
While Iran was a major topic of discussion between Mr. Kerry and Mr. Netanyahu, the secretary of state also went to Israel to press the prime minister on negotiations with the Palestinians, which he tried to reinvigorate in several days of shuttle diplomacy.
Mr. Kerry met with the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in Amman, Jordan on Thursday evening. Mr. Abbas has complained that Israel is continuing to approve settlement construction in the West Bank, poisoning the atmosphere for direct negotiations.Mr. Kerry met with the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in Amman, Jordan on Thursday evening. Mr. Abbas has complained that Israel is continuing to approve settlement construction in the West Bank, poisoning the atmosphere for direct negotiations.
Mr. Netanyahu returned fire on Wednesday, saying that the Palestinians were inciting discord and manufacturing crises in order to avoid making difficult decisions in the negotiations. But Mr. Netanyahu said Wednesday that the Palestinians were inciting discord and manufacturing crises in order to avoid making difficult decisions in the negotiations.
On Friday, he appeared to harden his stance further, telling reporters “I will never compromise on Israel’s security and our vital interests, not in the face of any international pressure. I think the pressure has to be put where it belongs. That is on the Palestinians who refuse to budge.” On Friday, he appeared to harden his stance further, telling reporters “I will never compromise on Israel’s security and our vital interests, not in the face of any international pressure. I think the pressure has to be put where it belongs. That is, on the Palestinians who refuse to budge.”
At times this week, Mr. Kerry has appeared frustrated with the Israelis. On Wednesday, he appealed to the Israeli authorities to keep a lid on new settlement construction during the negotiations.At times this week, Mr. Kerry has appeared frustrated with the Israelis. On Wednesday, he appealed to the Israeli authorities to keep a lid on new settlement construction during the negotiations.
In his interview with Israeli and Palestinian journalists, Mr. Kerry used unusually pointed language in prodding the Israelis. “The alternative to getting back to the talks is the potential of chaos,” he said. “I mean, does Israel want a third intifada?”In his interview with Israeli and Palestinian journalists, Mr. Kerry used unusually pointed language in prodding the Israelis. “The alternative to getting back to the talks is the potential of chaos,” he said. “I mean, does Israel want a third intifada?”

Michael R. Gordon reported from Geneva, and Mark Landler from Tel Aviv. Jodi Rudoren contributed reporting from Jerusalem.