On September 10, President Barack Obama warned that inaction in the face of Syria’s use of chemical weapons would embolden Iran. Obama presented Tehran with two options during his address to the American public. Iran “must decide whether to ignore international law by building a nuclear weapon or to take a more peaceful path,” he said. But Obama’s remark contrasted sharply with his tougher language during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency between 2005 and 2013.
Before President Hassan Rouhani’s June 2013 election, Obama repeatedly emphasized that all options — including a military option — were on the table for stopping Iran’s nuclear program. He also highlighted Tehran’s lack of transparency. Iran has taken “the path of denial, deceit and deception,” he said in March 2012. The following are Iran-related excerpts from Obama’s remarks on Syria.
Obama: Shifting Language on Iran?
“If fighting spills beyond Syria’s borders, these weapons could threaten allies like Turkey, Jordan and Israel. And a failure to stand against the use of chemical weapons would weaken prohibitions against other weapons of mass destruction and embolden Assad’s ally, Iran, which must decide whether to ignore international law by building a nuclear weapon or to take a more peaceful path.”
Sept. 10, 2013 in a national address
“You know, one reason that this [Russian initiative] may have a chance of success is that even Syria's allies like Iran detest chemical weapons. Iran, you know, unfortunately was the target of chemical weapons at the hands of Saddam Hussein back at the Iraq-Iran War.”
Sept. 9, 2013 in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer
“I think it’s important to recognize that Assad does not have significant military capabilities relative to us… His allies do, though – Iran, Hezbollah. They could carry out asymmetrical attacks against our embassies, for example, in the region.
“But we don’t actually think that they want to do something like that. Keep in mind that Iran was the country probably last subjected to large-scale chemical weapons use, by Saddam Hussein. So there’s a real aversion to chemical weapons inside of Iran. I don’t think either Iran or Hezbollah thought that what Assad did was a good idea. And you know, for us to take a limited proportional although significant strike on Assad’s capabilities to degrade them I don’t think would prompt them to get involved.”
Sept. 8, 2013 in an interview with Gwen Ifill for PBS
“Syria doesn't have significant capabilities to retaliate against us. Iran does. But Iran-- is not going to risk a war with the United States over this. Particularly given that our goal here is to make sure that chemical weapons are not used on children.”
Sept. 9 2013 in an interview with MSNBC’s Savannah Guthrie