Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday expressed concern that details about the nuclear talks with Iran will be leaked this week.
“We are concerned by reports that suggest selective details of the ongoing negotiations will be discussed publicly in the coming days,” Kerry told reporters in Geneva, Reuters reported.
“I want to say clearly that doing so would make it more difficult to reach the goal that Israel and others say they share in order to get to a good deal,” he added. “Israel’s security is absolutely at the forefront of all of our minds, but frankly, so is the security of all of the other countries in the region. So is our security in the United States.”
Kerry’s comments echoed ones made last month by White House press secretary Josh Earnest, who accused Israel of “cherry-picking” information that distorts the U.S. position in the talks.
The remarks come the day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress. He is expected to skewer the administration’s efforts to strike a deal with Tehran.
Netanyahu’s appearance has sparked weeks of acrimony on Capitol Hill, with Democrats criticizing Republicans, especially Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), for arranging the visit without consulting the White House. Meanwhile, GOP members contend they have a right to hear from one of America’s closest allies at such a critical time.
Kerry said there is still a “long way to go” before a bargain can be struck with Iran, adding that “the clock is ticking,” a reference to the March 24 deadline envoys have given themselves to strike a deal.
Earlier on Monday, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) criticized the negotiations.
“The delusion is that they make this nuclear deal with Iran, there’s a brand new relationship with Iran, Iran and we are partners for peace throughout the Middle East,” McCain said on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends.”
“It’s crazy,” he added.