Concerns over Iran nuke deal are legitimate

Your editorial “Obama on Iran nuclear deal - A very sobering lesson for Israel” (April 6) creates the false impression that Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is the only critic of the Iran nuclear “framework”.

In reality, there is at least as much criticism of as there is support for the deal achieved with the Iranian regime .

The framework has been harshly criticised in the US, where two US senators (one of whom represents President Obama’s own Democrat Party) have introduced a bill compelling the Administration to submit the agreement for debate in the Congress.

Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s main spokesman on foreign affairs, told the BBC that the agreement risks starting a nuclear race in the Middle East.

Seen from the safety of an office in Dublin, the deal may look good; but that’s no reason to make light of justified concerns expressed by Israelis, Saudis and other regional actors, who are within striking distance of Iran’s potentially nuclear ballistic missiles.

Only a week ago, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that “erasing Israel off the map” is “non-negotiable”. He proceeded to threaten Saudi Arabia, promising that its leaders “will have a fate like the fate of Saddam Hussein” (ie will be hanged!)

Noru Tsalic

Cryfield Cottages

Gibbet Hill Road

Coventry

UK