John Kerry

The United States is committed to seeing this process through to a political transition away from Bashar al-Asad.

The continued assault by Syrian regime forces--enabled by Russian airstrikes--against opposition-held areas...have clearly signaled the intention to seek a military solution rather than enable a political one.

Under the JCPOA, if there is a significant violation by Iran, the United States has the ability to quickly re-impose the multilateral sanctions that were lifted.

All of our other sanctions programs not related to Iran's nuclear program, whether for its destabilizing activities within the region, human rights abuses, or ballistic missile programs, remain in place and continue to be enforced.

We have been very clear in highlighting to the international community that the JCPOA was negotiated to address Iran's nuclear program only.

It would be a gross miscarriage of justice, if that happened.

The absence of diplomatic effort is almost a guarantee of failure.

I think that the Secretary is negotiating in a situation where there is no plan B.

But I assure you that, because of the sectarian nature of this, if he thinks he is going to be better off fighting on behalf of a dictator...

I am telling you, this war will not end with Assad there. It just will not end as long as Assad is there.

My job, the job of everybody in the State Department, is to try to--war is the absence or failure of diplomacy.

Because there are 20 major nations in the world that account for the vast majority--the majority, put it that way, because less-developed countries are now growing in their emissions as a result of their own developing practices.

That is a national security threat to the United States of America, as well as to all of our friends and allies.

We have a huge imperative here to remain deeply engaged, because if we do not, there are too many young people out there.

I have seen this now for the 3-years-plus I have been Secretary--it makes a difference, a huge difference to the standards of behavior, to the values that those people adopt.

This revolution in Syria began when Assad attacked young kids who went out into the square to demonstrate for jobs and for a future.

The United States cannot impose on people who have lived there under these bonds and starvation and torture.

If you cannot end the war with Assad running, is it really worth destroying an entire country and region over one man?

We are engaged in a major effort to try to professionalize the law enforcement, to reduce the illicit trafficking, to reduce the smuggling, the transnational organized crime, the gangs.

These investments are critical.

I think it saved the country, together with the country's commitment itself and its leaders to try to stand up to the narcotraffickers who back then were destroying the nation.

I would applaud Senator Corker. He has tried to move these nominees forward.

The need we have on a daily basis to have our Nation properly represented by an ambassador is absolutely critical.

I think we are on the verge of having an agreement, hopefully, with China.

The same criminal networks that engage in wildlife trafficking also, by the way, engage in trafficking in human persons and narcotics trafficking.