President Barack Obama “has to negotiate with the Iranians, now the question is whether he will be genuine or sincere or whether he’ll be listening to the Zionists’ AIPACT lobby”, Dean Henderson of Veterans Today said on Sunday.
“[I’m] glad to see that a little bit of break with Israel with this Obama gesture” is underway, he added.
Obama described as an “important opportunity in Washington’s foreign policy,” a telephone conversation he had with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani when he was in the US to attend the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In his address to the UN on Tuesday, Obama said Washington prefers a diplomatic solution to its disputes with Iran over its nuclear program.
Hours later, Rouhani used his debut at the world body to tell the world that Tehran is ready for talks on its nuclear energy program with complete transparency.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, however, is deeply concerned about eased tensions between Iran and the United States. He ordered Israel’s delegation to boycott the speech by the new Iranian president and once again accused Tehran of “pursuing nuclear weapons.”
Henderson said the “new opening” is a test of Obama’s sincerity.
“I hope the United States quits being the aggressor”, he said, adding “the Iranians have been perfectly moderate for decades and it’s the United States that is taking this radical position of just aggression and sanctions and war.”
As “a window of opportunity” for diplomacy has been opened, Israel stands isolated as the only “warmonger” in the world unwilling to give diplomacy a chance, analysts say.
Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the White House on Monday and address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
He plans to persuade the Obama administration to maintain tough economic sanctions on Iran. Tehran insists sanctions must be lifted in order for a nuclear deal to occur.
"I will tell the truth,” Netanyahu said at the airport in Tel Aviv on Sunday, before leaving for the US. He said that he would present “the facts…in the face of sweet-talk and the onslaught of smiles."
NJF/NJF