Excerpts: Iran nuclear deal flawed. Spain invites Jews back, since 1492
expulsion October 05, 2015

+++Source; Saudi Gazette 5 Oct.’15:”Iran nuclear review panel says deal
flawed”Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Iran nuclear deal flawed
QUOTE:”Panel of Iranian lawmakers said ….agreement should go ahead anyway”
FULL TEXT:TEHRAN — A panel of Iranian lawmakers said Sunday [4 Oct.]that the
inspections regime underpinning the country’s nuclear deal with world powers
represented a security threat, but the agreement should go ahead anyway.

The 15-member committee spent weeks reviewing the text of the July 14
agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), for what
it said could be breaches of negotiators’ “red lines.”

The panel had largely been sidelined over its ability to influence the
accord’s fate although its report paves the way for a formal vote in
parliament.

A law passed earlier this year gave final oversight of the nuclear deal to
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), rather than lawmakers, many
of whom have railed against the agreement.

The SNSC is headed by President Hassan Ruhani, who came to power in 2013
after campaigning to end the international dispute and end sanctions imposed
over Iran’s nuclear program.

In their report the lawmakers hit out at the decision to allow inspections
of military sites, which Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had appeared to rule out in
a speech just weeks before the deal was sealed.

“It is evident that, based on the JCPOA, access to Iranian military sites
has become possible,” the panel said.

“The JCPOA has serious weaknesses in the security section. Unless there’s a
revision regarding the inspection of military, defense and security sites,
it will cause problems for the country.

“Implementation of this inspection regime could lead to unprecedented
information gathering and exposes to danger the security infrastructure,
human, scientific, military and security resources of Iran.”

The lawmakers, however, said the review made “the assumption that Iran’s
negotiating team had enjoyed the supreme leader’s trust” during the talks
that led to the deal and its passing would see sanctions lifted.

Khamenei has the last word on all policy matters in Iran as his authority
trumps Ruhani and all politicians. His speeches often backed the negotiators
but stopped short of endorsing the deal.

The panel further criticized the agreement with Britain, China, France,
Russia and the United States plus Germany, saying Iran’s obligations were
“clear and explicit” whereas the West’s obligations were not so.

“In case of any breach of commitments by the other side, Iran reserves the
right to make any decision in its national interest,” the report said,
noting that the deal was a political agreement and not a binding treaty.

In particular the placing of restrictions on some aspects of Iran’s nuclear
activities for 15 years was “a serious shortcoming.”

Under July’s accord Iran will place limits on its nuclear program for at
least a decade in return for the lifting of all nuclear-related UN and
international sanctions.

The inspections regime will be led by the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA). — AFP


+++Source:Naharnet (Lebanon) 5 Oct.’15:”Spain Speeds Up Nationality for
4,300 Sephardic Jews” by Agence France Presse

SUBJECT: Spain invites Jews back,since 1492 expulsion

FULL TEXT:Spain said Friday[2 Oct.] it was speeding up applications for
4,300 Sephardic Jews seeking Spanish nationality under a new law to atone
for their expulsion five centuries ago in the Inquisition.

The law allowing dual citizenship for descendants of Jews who were forced to
flee Spain in 1492, known as Sephardim, was approved by the Spanish
parliament in June and came into force on Thursday[1 Oct].

But Justice Minister Rafael Catala said Friday[2 Oct] the government had
approved an extra measure to save paperwork for thousands who had already
filed applications for nationality before the latest law came into force.

The new decree "has allowed us at one stroke to grant nationality to 4,302
people of Sephardic origin" whose applications under previous legislation
were already pending, Catala told a news conference after a cabinet meeting.

"This is one more step in developing the law for granting nationality to the
Sephardim," he said.

"It seemed fair, rather than making them go through the process of filing
their applications again, to speed up the process."

The measure aims to correct what the Spanish government has called the
"historic mistake" of the country's Catholic monarchs sending Jews into
exile in 1492.

Jewish groups welcomed the law in June, though some Jewish leaders
complained the requirements are too burdensome.

Applicants do not have to be practicing Jews but they must have their
ancestry vetted by Jewish authorities and prove a "special connection" to
and knowledge of Spain.

Historians believe at least 200,000 Jews lived in Spain before the monarchs
Isabella and Ferdinand ordered them to convert to the Catholic faith or
leave the country on pain of death.

Up to 3.5 million people around the world are thought to have Sephardic
Jewish ancestry.

SourceAgence France Presse
================
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA