In response to yesterday's joint statement of progress announced by the P5+1 and Iran, the leaders of the Reform Jewish Movement issued a statement saying that “a negotiated resolution … will be difficult to reach but all the alternatives to such a resolution are grim.” Nevertheless, the leaders concluded that “we still have grave concerns about the ability of a potential deal to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.”
You can read all full statements in the RAC's online press room.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, issued the following comment:
At its core, the Passover holiday we will begin observing in just a few hours is about negotiating with a tyrant to deliver ourselves to freedom. As we think about our grave concerns about some aspects of the joint statement between the P5+1 and Iran, that story feels all too relevant. As the Obama Administration negotiates between now and June the final details of today’s framework, we urge them to remain firm in their commitment to resolve the negotiations successfully on favorable terms, assuring the American people and the international community that Iran’s nuclear program is transparent and peaceful.REFORM MOVEMENT LEADERSHIP STATEMENT
The United States has today announced a statement of progress between the P5+1 and Iran on the future of Iran’s nuclear program. The position of our Movement has long been that Iran must not be permitted under any circumstances to obtain nuclear weaponry and the best way to resolve the nuclear issue is a negotiated agreement among the parties. We thank the Obama administration for its determination to reach a negotiated settlement, even while stating that all options remain open should a settlement not be achieved. It has led an international effort to advance these negotiations and to impose sanctions on Iran until the negotiations are concluded. A negotiated resolution of these problems will be difficult to reach, but all the alternatives to such a resolution are grim. At the same time, we express our grave concerns about aspects of the announced framework. Very serious questions about such matters as inspection, verification, break-out time, and the timing of removal or easing of sanctions remain. Concerns raised by Prime Minister Netanyahu and others about Iran’s nuclear weapons program are serious and real. It seems clear that the Iranian government has yet to make the significant concessions that will be required of it. Since the final details of the agreement are to be established by the end of June, we urge the Obama administration to remain firm in its commitment to resolve the negotiations successfully on favorable terms, assuring the American people and the international community that Iran’s nuclear program will be transparent and peaceful. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and carefully consider the parameters and implications of relevant legislation moving through the Congress. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, and Steve Sacks, Chair of the Board, UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM Rabbi Denise L. Eger, President, and Rabbi Steve Fox, CEO, CENTRAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director, RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER OF REFORM JUDAISM Jennifer Kaufman, Chair, COMMISSION ON SOCIAL ACTION OF REFORM JUDAISMFor more information on the issue of a nuclear Iran, visit the RAC's Iran webpage.
Related Posts
Remembering the 70th Anniversary of Nagasaki, Looking at Nonproliferation Today
August 10, 2015
Sunday marked the 70th anniversary of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, the last time a nuclear weapon was used as a war tactic against people, almost entirely civilians. The blast left 60,000-80,000 dead within a few days, with tens of thousands injured suffering crippling injuries from radiation and tens of thousands more hurt from radiation poisoning. The anniversary of the bombings provide an opportunity to reflect on the destruction the nuclear weapons caused in the immediate aftermath and over the years, from heart-wrenching photos of survivors in the first days, weeks and months after the bombings, to the scars that will not ever truly fade away – both in Japan and throughout the global community.
As the Ink Cools on the Iran Nuclear Agreement, Debate Heats Up
July 21, 2015
Negotiators from the P5+1 and Iran have concluded their 20-month long negotiations process with an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program, but the agreement still faces major hurdles and a divided country as it moves towards implementation. Chief among these is the 60-day review period mandated by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (often known as the Corker-Cardin bill), which the Reform Movement supported.
Iran Nuclear Program Agreement Announced, Reform Movement Responds
July 14, 2015
Early this morning, P5+1 and Iran announced an historic agreement aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, while simultaneously providing Iran with relief from nuclear-related sanctions. The deal, which has been the result of nearly 20 months of negotiations, comes in at a sleek 159 pages, and many top experts, including those in the Reform Movement, are still parsing through the details.