Iran nuke deal does not fully rule out Israel's use of force - Russian expert
MOSCOW. July 14 (Interfax) - The signature of a deal on the Iranian nuclear program between the P5+1 group of world powers and Tehran radically minimizes the risks of a military scenario to resolve the problem of Iran but does not eliminate them absolutely, says Vladimir Sazhin, a senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Oriental Studies and an expert on Iran.
Israel could resort to force even in the event of an insignificant departure from the agreements, Sazhin said in an interview with Interfax.
"First, the way back to sanctions is not closed. If Tehran does not comply with each letter of the agreement adopted, sanctions will be imposed again. But there is also Israel, which will obviously put any of Tehran's steps in the nuclear field under a microscope," he said.
If Israel decides that Iran has violated the agreement, it would react to this not by imposing sanctions, Sazhin said.
"The agreement sets the framework within which Iran can develop its nuclear program. Any departure beyond this framework, even a very insignificant one, would be very serious to Tehran. Therefore, it cannot be a hundred percent guaranteed that the Israelis wouldn't react to this by using force," he said.
Sazhin emphasized as important the fact that the political solution to the Iran nuclear problem was found with Russia's participation. "The agreement undoubtedly is a political solution to a complicated nuclear problem. It is obvious to many that, without Russia, this agreement could not have been reached. In this sense, the reason for Moscow is that it has managed to consolidate its image as an influential player in the Near East and the Middle East," he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said earlier on Tuesday that he was disappointed by reports on an agreement reached on the Iranian nuclear program between Tehran and the P5+1 group of world powers, calling the deal "a stunning mistake of historic proportions," which would enable Iran "to continue to pursue its aggression and terror in the region and in the world."