International Security Expert: “Iran is ready to rejoin negotiations”

International Security Expert Jim Walsh weighs in on Iran’s nuclear announcement, telling CNN’s Ashleigh Banfield that he believes it is leverage for negotiations.

Walsh says, “There was not a game changer yesterday. There were several announcements on the nuclear program about that facility near Qom, the underground facility. And as you pointed out, about fueling…the medical reactor. But there’s nothing that suddenly today Iran is any closer to a nuclear weapon than yesterday. What is missing in all this, though, is at the end of the day, Iran submitted a letter to the Europeans saying they are ready to rejoin negotiations.”

He adds, “I worry about a military strike. I’m afraid it’s going to have the same impact that if Israel strikes Iran, it’s actually going to push them to the bomb when they haven’t yet made that decision. That’s sort of what happened before with Iraq and I fear that here, as well.”

Early Start with Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin airs week mornings from 5-7am ET on CNN.