AIPAC: Experts Warn Iran Could Cause Middle East to Go Nuclear

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hundreds were in attendance to watch a distinguished panel of experts who convened on Sunday at the annual AIPAC (America-Israel Public Affairs Committee) policy conference to discuss, “Trouble in Tehran: Analyzing Iran’s Nuclear Program.”

The panelists warned about the threat posed by a nuclear-armed Iran, and talked about what a “good deal” and a “bad deal” would look like with the Ayatollah’s regime.

The expert panel included Dr. Emily Landau, a senior associate at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv; Valerie Lincy, the executive director of the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control and editor of IranWatch.org, and U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA).

“It’s looking like it’s going to be a bad deal,” Dr. Landau said bluntly in reference to the ongoing P5+1 talks over Iran’s nuclear program. She added that if Iran were to choose to pursue nuclear “breakout” capacity, most experts agree that it would only take a few months for Tehran to develop a fully functional nuclear weapon.

Dr. Landau explained that while the ongoing negotiations have taken place between the world powers and Iran’s representatives, Iranian negotiators do not even have the power to agree to anything.

She suggested that pro-Israel advocates challenge the narrative that “Iran has done no wrong,” and expose the regime for its lies and false characterization of its nuclear program.

Congressman Brad Sherman said that the banking sanctions and others have been “significant enough so that Iran has to care” in advocating for a nuclear deal with Iran.

Sherman warned that if the U.S. was to walk away from Iran negotiations, the Ayatollah’s regime would go full steam ahead in its pursuit of nuclear weapons, echoing sentiments expressed within the Obama Administration.

Iran would “absolutely not” go back to developing nuclear weapons, Dr. Landau fired back at Congressman Sherman. She explained that the Obama administration’s policy of “circumventing Congress is not normal process,” to the raucous applause of the hundreds on hand.

Valerie Lincy of IranWatch warned that Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons has resulted in many Middle Eastern countries openly declaring the necessity that they too must have nuclear weapons.

She rejected Congressman Sherman’s assertion that the Congress can fix any issues with a bad Iran deal simply by passing sanctions.

“Anyone who argues that sanctions can be put in place” right away to combat an Iranian infringement upon a nuclear deal are entirely incorrect, if “all you have is one year” to stop Iran from pursuing a nuke,” Lincy said.

The IranWarch editor added that “Iran is doing a lot of things that are quite dangerous,” such as developing Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), which may be capable of striking the United States.