| Date | March 3, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Time | 11 am (EST) |
| Duration | 0:43:00 |
| Venue | United States Capitol |
| Location | Washington D.C., United States |
| Theme | Nuclear program of Iran |
On March 3, 2015, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech before a joint session of the United States Congress. Netanyahu warned that any nuclear agreement with Iran would pose a threat to the United States and to international security. [1]
He had accepted an invitation extended on January 21, 2015, by Speaker of the House John Boehner. [2] Netanyahu thus became the second foreign leader to address a joint session of the United States Congress on three separate occasions. The speech focused primarily on Iran's nuclear program, which was the subject of ongoing negotiations between the United States and other world powers aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of sanctions.
Israeli officials expressed strong concerns over the potential agreement, warning that a nuclear-armed Iran could trigger a regional arms race and arguing that the Iranian leadership was too irrational to be deterred by conventional notions of cost and benefit. [3] Originally scheduled for February 11, [4] the speech was postponed to March 3, two weeks before Israel's legislative elections. The rescheduling was reportedly intended to allow Prime Minister Netanyahu to attend the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington, D.C. [5]
The White House criticized the handling of the invitation, stating it was notified just shortly before the announcement was made. [6] The incident was considered a departure from traditional diplomatic protocol. [7]
During his visit, Netanyahu did not meet with President Barack Obama. The U.S. administration cited its long-standing policy of avoiding meetings with foreign leaders close to their national elections. [8]
