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QUESTION: Probably you’re perceived one of the most ambitious foreign ministers for the U.S. You want to bring a century-old peace process back on track, put the Syrians together and get a resolution, and also strike a deal with Iran. So for the coming few questions, it will be really passing the insecurities and the skeptics of the GCC and the Arab world.

SECRETARY KERRY: Sure.

QUESTION: So you are perceived as a country that for 40 years were against Iran, you had allies in the region that helped you in that, and now you left them in the dark, struck a deal with Iran.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, I --

QUESTION: The deal is not even clear or very – or made public with its details and specifics.

SECRETARY KERRY: Actually, the deal, Rima, could not be more clear, and we have not left anybody in the dark.

QUESTION: How?

SECRETARY KERRY: We are extremely diligent in working with our friends in the region. I have just made, I don’t know, maybe my 14th – 20th trip to the region, many of which were to Israel, Jordan, to the West Bank, to the Palestinian territories. But sometimes, I’ve traveled exclusively just to the Emirates or just to Saudi Arabia or to one of the countries in the region. And the reason is because we have been extremely energized in making certain that our friends know exactly what we’re doing. We have briefed all of our friends in the region. We are talking with Iran about a nuclear program, that’s all. We are trying to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon which would change the balance of power in the region.

What we are doing is profoundly in the interests of our friends in the region. I am absolutely certain beyond a reasonable doubt that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey – all of the countries in the region are safer today from the threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon than they were before we made the agreement that we made.

Now, under the agreement we made, Iran has to undo all of its 20 percent enriched uranium. They have to take it to zero. That makes everybody safer. They have to limit their stock of 3.5 percent uranium. That makes people safer. The stock cannot grow.

QUESTION: They will remain a nuclear-capable country.

SECRETARY KERRY: But they cannot finish the Arak reactor during the time of this preliminary first step. They have to have inspections.

QUESTION: The Iranian deputy foreign minister said --

SECRETARY KERRY: Let me just finish.

QUESTION: -- it will take a day to resume enrichment (inaudible).

SECRETARY KERRY: They have to have inspections every day of Fordow. They have to have inspections every day in Natanz. We didn't have that before we made this agreement. Now, yeah, if they broke out – if they decided they’re going to throw this agreement away and go start enrichment again, sure, they can turn around. But guess what? If they do that, then the military option that is available to the United States is ready and prepared to do what it would have to do. So I don’t think that would last very long. I don’t think that’s a wise choice for Iran. The fact is that the United States – the President of the United States has made it clear: Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.

Now let me just finish. We have kept all of our friends in the region completely apprised of this. They know exactly what we’re doing. We will brief them regularly. We will not make a bad deal. A bad deal is worse than no deal, and we won’t do that. But we are convinced that we are on the right track because clearly – clearly – the world would rather see us settle this peacefully rather than have to have a military confrontation.

QUESTION: Mr. Kerry, for the GCC countries it’s the same Iranian regime, and for the GCC countries they don’t want to see a nuclear Iran. But they also see Iran that meddles in Bahrain affairs, has Hezbollah in Lebanon.

SECRETARY KERRY: Absolutely.

QUESTION: Has Hezbollah in Syria. Destabilizes some of Yemen. All the Iranian ambitions in the region, is this okay with the U.S. as long as Iran is not nuclear?

SECRETARY KERRY: No. And we’ve made that clear. Of course it’s not okay.

QUESTION: How will you solve it?

SECRETARY KERRY: Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran is sponsoring Hezbollah. Right now, Hezbollah is engaged in the violence of Syria. We find that very objectionable. And there are other ways in which Iran is engaged in support for terror within the region. We don’t agree with that. No, we don’t. Nor do our friends.

But you have to take one step at a time. This is diplomacy, and we are working through the diplomatic process to end a significant threat that, if it isn’t ended, could create a confrontation within the region, will certainly see other states seek nuclear weapons, and you would have a far more dangerous Middle East than you have already today. So one step at a time. We are focused on the first step, which is the nuclear program. We are prepared to engage with Iran on the other issues.

QUESTION: Well, then you would ask them to disarm Hezbollah, for example?

SECRETARY KERRY: Absolutely. We believe they should stop supporting Hezbollah completely and totally. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, and they should not support terrorism in the region. End of issue.

QUESTION: Okay. If things are positive, the deal works, will you withdraw your naval forces from the Gulf waters? Why do you need them if things are okay with Iran?

SECRETARY KERRY: Because there are many issues, unfortunately. We’re fighting al-Qaida, we’re dealing with problems in Yemen, with uncertainties in other parts of the region. The United States will do what is necessary to stand up for the freedom of navigation, for the free movement of oil and products in the region. We will stand up for our friends in the region who are threatened, and we will continue to have a presence in the Middle East for as far as I can see in the foreseeable future. But we will continue to work for peace. That’s why we are also working in the Middle East peace process.

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