Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

  • Policy Issues
    • Fact Sheets
    • Countries
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Non-Proliferation
    • Nuclear Security
    • Biological & Chemical Weapons
    • Defense Spending
    • Missile Defense
    • No First Use
  • Nukes of Hazard
    • Podcast
    • Blog
    • Videos
  • Join Us
  • Press
  • About
    • Staff
    • Boards & Experts
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Financials and Annual Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Search
You are here: Home / Iran Diplomacy / Obama tells UNGA he’s “encouraged” by Iran’s recent overtures

September 24, 2013

Obama tells UNGA he’s “encouraged” by Iran’s recent overtures

Something has shifted in the relationship between the U.S. and Iran, so much so that despite other pressing international concerns (ahem, Syria) it can no longer be ignored. For the first time today, President Obama explicitly acknowledged the shift. Stating that he “firmly” believed the “diplomatic path must be tested,” Obama announced that he’d directed Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue an agreement with Iran.

“We are not seeking regime change, and we respect the right of the Iranian people to access peaceful nuclear energy,” Obama said in his address to the United Nations General Assembly. “Instead, we insist that the Iranian government meet its responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and U.N. Security Council resolutions.”

Obama said that recent positive developments, such as President Rouhani’s reiteration that the Islamic Republic will never develop a nuclear weapon, have been encouraging to the administration.

“These statements made by our respective governments should offer the basis for a meaningful agreement,” Obama said. He added that “to succeed, conciliatory words will have to be matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable.”

Beyond the obvious positive tones of Obama’s U.N. speech, some have speculated that comments on Kerry’s engaging with his Iranian counterparts “in consultation” with US partners might signal a future for bilateral negotiations, a step many believe is necessary if the U.S. expects to secure a deal.

Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday at a discussion of the P5+1 concerning the resumption of talks, but many are still watching closely for a potential meeting between the two Presidents themselves. Iranian and American leaders have not met since before the Islamic Revolution in 1979, so the moment, if even just a handshake, would be hugely significant.

We’ll be waiting and watching too, here at Nukes of Hazard, and will report the outcomes as they arise.

UPDATE 9/25/13: Unfortunately, Obama and Rouhani were not able to come together for a meeting at the UNGA. In a later interview, Rouhani noted that “In principle, [Iran was] not opposed to meeting at all,” but felt that the two sides, having been estranged for so long, needed a more solid plan.

Posted in: Iran Diplomacy, Nukes of Hazard blog

Tweets by Nukes of Hazard

Recent Posts

  • Evolving Threats, Un-evolving Solutions: Geo-Politicization of Export Control Policy March 17, 2023
  • Fact Sheet: The Australia Group March 16, 2023
  • Fact Sheet: Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones March 14, 2023
  • Fact Sheet: The Wassenaar Arrangement March 8, 2023
  • Covid Lab Leak Fight Obscures the Global Rise of High-Security Biolabs March 8, 2023
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

820 1st Street NE, Suite LL-180
Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: 202.546.0795

Issues

  • Fact Sheets
  • Countries
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Non-Proliferation
  • Nuclear Security
  • Defense Spending
  • Biological and Chemical Weapons
  • Missile Defense
  • No First Use

Countries

  • China
  • France
  • India and Pakistan
  • Iran
  • Israel
  • North Korea
  • Russia
  • United Kingdom

Explore

  • Nukes of Hazard blog
  • Nukes of Hazard podcast
  • Nukes of Hazard videos
  • Front and Center
  • Fact Sheets

About

  • About
  • Meet the Staff
  • Boards & Experts
  • Press
  • Jobs & Internships
  • Financials and Annual Reports
  • Contact Us
  • Council for a Livable World
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

© 2023 Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
Privacy Policy

Charity Navigator GuideStar Seal of Transparency