The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston hopes that the agreement announced today in Vienna will resolve the issue of the Iranian nuclear threat, but we are concerned that this deal may be insufficient. We look forward to learning the specifics of the accord in the coming weeks as we seek to understand its implications and its efficacy.

The organized Jewish community of Boston has consistently preferred a diplomatic resolution to the threat of a nuclear Iran. The possibility that the world’s leading exporter of terrorism could pose an existential threat to its neighbors is a scenario too grave to ignore.  We commend President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, and the team of diplomats for their tireless efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution. We hope that the agreement announced today successfully curtails the Iranian threat.

At the same time, we have good reason to be concerned that today’s agreement may not be good enough. Reports in recent weeks, including statements by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, suggest that Iran would not compromise on key conditions that were identified by U.S. officials early on in the negotiation process as ‘red lines’ for any acceptable agreement including: sanctions relief that includes provisions for a ‘snap-back’ in the event of Iranian violations of the agreement; an enduring agreement that does not sunset in 10 or 15 years leaving the world no safer and possibly at greater risk than today; and, a rigorous system of effective inspections by the IAEA, including at military sites. After years of assurances that these negotiations would not curtail restrictions on Iran’s ability to support terrorist forces in the region, recent reports suggest that in the end, concessions may have been made to end restrictions on Iranian access to arms shipments.

We do not yet have sufficient information to form an opinion of the agreement announced today, which is why JCRC has worked so hard with our partners to establish the Congressional review that will take place in the coming weeks. We look forward to this debate and to consultations in the coming days with our member agencies.

We need no reminder that Iran’s regime does not share the interests and values of the U.S. and our allies – not just because of forty years of history, but because of events as recent as this past week when they staged a rally in which thousands marched through the streets of Tehran chanting “Down with America” and “Death to Israel.” While we remain hopeful that today’s agreement will end the nuclear threat, history – and current threats by the Iranian regime – dictate that we remain concerned and diligent.

Jeremy Burton, Executive Director
Adam Suttin, President
Stacey Bloom, Vice President and Chair, Israel and Global Jewry Committee