The first phase of nuclear talks with Iran went well, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday.
“It is not a partial deal. Let me make that crystal clear,” Kerry said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “It is a first step in an effort that will lock the program in where it is today, in fact set it back, while one negotiates the full deal.”
Kerry assured that sanctions on Iran will not cease and that they remained adequate, despite a push from members of Congress to further strengthen them.
“Nobody is talking about getting rid of the current architecture of sanctions. The pressure will remain,” he said.
Kerry said that the U.S. is determined to get a good deal or no deal at all, and said that they have Israel’s best interests in mind.
“It seems to me that Israel is far safer if you make certain that Iran cannot continue the program,” he added.
Kerry also said that the U.S. is being careful in talks with Iran, despite skepticism and reports of a stall.
“There is a lot of hype and an awful lot of speculation about what is going on here,” he said. “We are not blind, and I don’t think we’re stupid.”
