The Canadian government remains 鈥渄eeply skeptical鈥� of Iran in spite of the newly-brokered nuclear deal and will continue to implement tough economic sanctions on the country, says Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.
Under the new deal -- reached in Geneva during talks between Iran, the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia 鈥� the country will curb many of its nuclear activities for six months in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions.
But Baird said the Canadian government has decided to take a wait-and-see approach-- and will evaluate the new deal based on its successful implementation.
鈥淲e will evaluate this deal not just on the merits of its words, but more importantly by its verifiable implementation and unfettered access of all Iranian nuclear facilities,鈥� Baird said at a news conference Sunday.
Until then, Canada will stick to economic sanctions, which 鈥渉ave brought the regime to present a more moderate front and open the door to negotiations,鈥� Baird said.
He added that Canada is skeptical of Iran鈥檚 鈥渁bility to honour its obligations.鈥�
鈥淲e think past actions best predict future actions and Iran has defied the United Nations Security Council, and has defied the International Atomic Energy Agency,鈥� Baird said. 鈥淪imply put, Iran has not earned the right to have the benefit of the doubt.鈥�
Canada had severed its diplomatic relations with Iran a little over a year ago, shuttering its embassy in Tehran and expelling the regime's diplomats from Canada.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed similar skepticism after the agreement was announced, calling it a 鈥渉istoric mistake.鈥�
鈥淚srael is not bound by the agreement,鈥� Netanyahu said at a news conference. 鈥淲e cannot and will not allow a regime that calls for the destruction of Israel to obtain the means to achieve this goal.鈥�
Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama hailed the deal鈥檚 requirements as key to preventing nuclear proliferation, while U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the deal will make Israel safer.
A White House statement said the deal limits Iran鈥檚 ability to 鈥減roduce weapons-grade plutonium, and will subject its nuclear program to 鈥渋ncreased transparency and intrusive monitoring.鈥�
In exchange, the statement said Iran will face 鈥渓imited, temporary, targeted, and reversible (sanctions) relief.鈥�
In a statement from Canada鈥檚 Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the group urged caution over the deal.
David Koschitzky, chair of the group, noted that 鈥淚srael and others in the region have pointed to a number of serious deficiencies in this agreement.鈥�
鈥淐anadians have every reason to maintain healthy scepticism regarding this deal, given Iran's track record of manipulating diplomacy and breaching signed agreements,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ny pause to Iran鈥檚 nuclear drive will only be successful if the next six months are used to reach a comprehensive agreement that permanently denies Iran nuclear weapons capability.鈥�
