Obama: Iran should halt nuclear work for decade

President Barack Obama has said Iran should agree to at least a decade-long freeze on its nuclear activity if a landmark deal is to be finally reached. Mr Obama also said the odds were still against such an agreement happening.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to oppose a deal in a speech to Congress on Tuesday. But the president said Mr Netanyahu had been wrong on Iran before, when he opposed an interim agreement last year.

“Netanyahu made all sorts of claims – this was going to be a terrible deal, this was going to result in Iran getting $50bn worth of relief, Iran would not abide by the agreement.” None of that has come true, Mr Obama said.

“During this period we’ve seen Iran not advance its programme. In many ways, it’s rolled back elements of its programme.” Such differences of opinion between the US and Israel would not be “permanently destructive” to relations between the two countries, he added. –Source: BBC