US says Israel 'distorted' its position in Iran negotiations
February 19, 2015
White House spokesman Josh Earnest accused Israel of leaking misleading information in order to scuttle the talks on Wednesday, saying there was "no question that some of the things that the Israelis have said in characterizing our negotiating position have not been accurate."
He slammed Israel for "cherry-picking" bits of information, and "using them out of context to distort the negotiating position of the United States."
The very public accusations come after US President Barack Obama, who has a shaky relationship with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declined to meet with the leader. Obama said it would go against standard US protocol - not to meet with world leaders before national elections - with elections be held in Israel on March 17.
Further hurting ties was an invitation extended by the Republican Party, asking Netanyahu to deliver a speech at a joint meeting of the US Congress in March.
Negotiations are continuing between the Iran and the so-called P5+1 group, consisting of Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and the US over the Middle Eastern nation's nuclear program.
The aim is to pare back its nuclear capabilities, in exchange for easing tough international sanctions. Western nations are worried Iran could build nuclear weapons, an accusation Iran denies.
The potentially landmark deal could end more than three decades worth of bad feelings between Washington and Tehran.
A draft agreement is due by the end of March. Two deadlines have already been missed since an interim deal was made in November 2013.
Israel has been vocal in its opposition to the deal, adding further strain to Israeli-US relations.
Earnest also refuted suggestions the US had stopped negotiations with Israel over the Iran agreement, describing past and future meetings between both countries' security and intelligence services.
Meanwhile, chief negotiator and Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and her team are to travel to Switzerland on Thursday, to hold the next round of talks in Geneva.
The European Union's deputy foreign policy chief Helga Schmid will also join talks.
an/rc (AP, AFP, Reuters)