Jimmy Carter: “With Friday's vote, we have achieved that goal.”

That our country for the first time in my lifetime has abandoned basic principles of human rights.

This is a very wise and very courageous thing for President Obama to do. And in my opinion, is long overdue.

The aircraft carrying the 52 American hostages had cleared Iranian airspace on the first -- first leg of a journey home. And at every one of the 52 hostages was alive, was well and free.

I recognize that Israel is a wonderful democracy with freedom of speech and equality of treatment under the law between Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis.