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WASHINGTON (AP) — An Israeli official says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue fighting against the nuclear agreement signed by Iran, the United States and five other world powers.
The Israeli leader has been personally lobbying U.S. lawmakers to block the nuclear pact -- but supporters now have the 34 votes in the Senate that would be needed to back President Barack Obama when he vetoes a resolution of disapproval.
The agreement limits Iran's nuclear program in exchange for hundreds of billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions.
In a letter delivered to Congress today, Secretary of State John Kerry offered reassurances about Israel's security -- pointing to the billions of dollars the U.S. has provided to Israel for missile defense and other security assistance.
The letter was sent as Kerry defended the Iran deal in a speech in Philadelphia. He told lawmakers and civil leaders at the National Constitution Center that a defeat of the deal would be a "blow to our nation's credibility and leadership." He pledged that U.S. allies, including Israel, would have the "political and military support they need" to protect themselves from the threat posed by Iran.
Kerry's speech was broadcast live in Iran, an unusual occurrence.
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196-w-36-(Mark Smith, AP White House correspondent, with Secretary of State John Kerry)--Secretary of State John Kerry says the case for the Iranian nuclear deal has been proven "beyond a reasonable doubt." AP White House Correspondent Mark Smith reports. (2 Sep 2015)
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188-a-13-(Secretary of State John Kerry, in speech at National Constitution Center)-"across the board"-Secretary of State John Kerry says if foes ever manage to torpedo the Iran nuclear deal, the Iranians will rush forward with their program -- and America's authority in the world wlll be shattered. (2 Sep 2015)
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APPHOTO PAMS106: Secretary of State John Kerry gestures to the crowd after delivering a speech in support of the Iran nuclear deal at the National Constitution Center, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, in Philadelphia. "Rejecting this agreement would not be sending a signal of resolve to Iran, it would be broadcasting a message so puzzling that most people across the globe would find it impossible to comprehend," Kerry told lawmakers and civil leaders at the National Constitution Center. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (2 Sep 2015)
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