WASHINGTON: US lawmakers urged the Obama administration on Thursday not to mend its relations with Iran and to sack those officials who had allegedly ridiculed Israeli leaders.

The Obama administration is also being asked to explain a media report that it was close to a détente with Iran.

“I’m appalled at recent media reports suggesting the Obama administration is seeking ‘détente’ with Iran,” said Congressman Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican.

House Speaker John Boehner, also a Republican, urged President Barack Obama to sack those officials who had allegedly used disparaging language against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“It is time for him to get his house in order and tell the people that can’t muster professionalism that it is time to move on,” the speaker said.

The Atlantic Magazine reported on Wednesday that in a recent interview to its correspondents, a senior Obama aide had called the Israeli prime minister “a chicken” who was only interested in “protecting himself from political defeat” and had “no guts”.

The Obama administration immediately distanced itself from those remarks, saying that it was inappropriate to denigrate Mr Netanyahu. The White House also emphasised the “unbreakable bond” between the two nations.

Mr Netanyahu, however, said the name-calling was a badge of honour for him and that he was targeted “only because I defend the state of Israel.”

Another senior Obama official told The Wall Street Journal he “took pride” in the fact that the United States had forestalled an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

The remarks generated an animated debate at the State Department news briefing where journalists tried to persuade Spokesperson Jen Psaki to disclose details of the reported US action.

“Is the administration proud of the fact that it ‘boxed’ Israel in or out of conducting some type of military operation against the Iranians?” a journalist asked.

“No, we are proud of the fact that we reached an agreement that was credible that was able to stall and roll back the programme,” Ms Psaki said. “Obviously there’s more work to be done. That’s why we prevented additional action.”

Asked if the United States had actually prevented an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, the State Department official said, “Well, we have been consulting with Israel very closely at very high levels throughout the course of the Iran negotiations.” She said the dialogue had an open agenda and the United States had also shared with Israeli the details of its negotiations with Iran.

Responding to another question, Ms Psaki said she was not sure whether or not “bringing the Israelis on board” was part of the final deal in halting Iran’s nuclear programme.

“I think we are continuing to work on this. Obviously we don’t have a comprehensive deal at this point in time,” she said. “The proof is in the pudding, the details matter, and we’ll continue to consult with Israel as we pursue that.”

At a conference hosted by the Aspen Institute and the Atlantic in Washington, White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice said the United States was not engaged in a formal détente with Tehran.

“There is no détente, there is frankly no dramatic change in the nature of the relationship,” she said. A nuclear deal with Iran, she said, would be a significant achievement that would further US national security interests but that would not lead to a détente with the Islamic Republic. Washington would continue to have concerns over Iran’s role in the Middle East, she said.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2014