Obama criticizes Netanyahu for offering 'nothing new'

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t offer any “viable alternatives” to the nuclear negotiations with Iran during his speech to Congress.

Obama says he read a transcript of Netanyahu’s speech Tuesday. He says “there was nothing new” in the speech.

Obama says Netanyahu made almost the same speech when he warned against the interim deal reached with Iran. Obama says that deal has resulted in a freeze and rolling back of Iran’s nuclear program.

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Obama says Netanyahu’s alternative to the talks amounts to no deal at all. He says that would lead Iran to redouble efforts to build a nuclear bomb.

In his speech, Netanyahu said the deal would all but guarantee that Iran gets nuclear weapons.

Obama spoke in the Oval Office alongside Defense Secretary Ash Carter.