Rivlin meets visiting Congress Republicans

President Reuven Rivlin tells Republican members of the US Congress who are visiting the country that he’s “deeply concerned about the recent nuclear deal signed with Iran” but that Israel “can and will do all that is necessary to defend itself.”

The group, headed by House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, is visiting Israel before next month’s vote approving or disapproving of the agreement reached last month between world powers and Iran aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program.

“The current Iranian regime act with a dangerous combination of aggressiveness, fundamentalism, and state sponsored terrorism, threatening – even without nuclear weapons – freedom and democracy in this region and around the world,” Rivlin says, according to a statement from his office. “We fear that this agreement is a first step in the legitimization of Iran’s policies and strategies, and only acts to further destabilize a chaotic region.”

Concerning increasingly vocal public disagreements between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama over the deal, Rivlin says that while “the US-Israel relationship has known ups and downs,” Israel considers its alliance with the US “a strategic cornerstone.”

“We must not be alarmed by disagreements when they arise. Whatever Congress decides, it will be your decision as representatives of the American people. We, as your allies and partners, must make sure that whatever the result of this vote, our strategic alliance stands and grows even stronger,” he says.

McCarthy replies, “The uniqueness of the bond between us is because of our shared values of freedom, democracy, liberty, human rights, and protecting the voice of those with whom we may disagree. The relationship between our countries is strong and firm, and nobody should doubt that.”