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After Talks, Nuclear Deal on Iran Is Seen as Close After Talks, Nuclear Deal on Iran Is Seen as Close
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up a week of diplomacy in Europe and the Middle East within what many experts say is striking distance of an initial accord with Iran over its nuclear program.PARIS — Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up a week of diplomacy in Europe and the Middle East within what many experts say is striking distance of an initial accord with Iran over its nuclear program.
But with an end-of-March deadline for drafting the outline of a potential agreement, Mr. Kerry still faces an array of challenges in completing that understanding and defending it to Congress.But with an end-of-March deadline for drafting the outline of a potential agreement, Mr. Kerry still faces an array of challenges in completing that understanding and defending it to Congress.
Mr. Kerry’s immediate task on Saturday was to present a tableau of unity with counterparts from France, Britain and Germany a day after the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, complained that the emerging accord did not yet go far enough to constrain Iran’s nuclear capabilities.Mr. Kerry’s immediate task on Saturday was to present a tableau of unity with counterparts from France, Britain and Germany a day after the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, complained that the emerging accord did not yet go far enough to constrain Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“There has been progress but as far as the volume, checks and duration of the envisaged commitments are concerned, the situation is still insufficient,” Mr. Fabius said Friday. “So there is more work to be done.”“There has been progress but as far as the volume, checks and duration of the envisaged commitments are concerned, the situation is still insufficient,” Mr. Fabius said Friday. “So there is more work to be done.”
After meeting one on one with Mr. Fabius here on Saturday, Mr. Kerry insisted that France and the United States were on the same page and that both nations agreed there were still gaps with the Iranians that need to be closed. After meeting one on one with Mr. Fabius here on Saturday, Mr. Kerry insisted that France and the United States were on the same page and that both nations agreed there were still gaps with the Iranians that needed to be closed.
“We know what we are chasing after, and we are chasing after the same things,” Mr. Kerry told reporters in a joint appearance with the French minister.“We know what we are chasing after, and we are chasing after the same things,” Mr. Kerry told reporters in a joint appearance with the French minister.
Mr. Fabius, for his part, warned that if a “solid” agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions was not reached, it would prompt other states in the region to mount their own nuclear programs in response.Mr. Fabius, for his part, warned that if a “solid” agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions was not reached, it would prompt other states in the region to mount their own nuclear programs in response.
Mr. Fabius’s recent comments were not the first time that the French, who have considerable expertise on nuclear issues and have long focused on Iran’s nuclear efforts, have suggested that the accord under negotiation with Iran needs to be strengthened. Some American commentators have suggested that the French government’s motivation is primarily to counter the notion that the United States is the principal interlocutor with Iran and is largely intended for domestic consumption in France.Mr. Fabius’s recent comments were not the first time that the French, who have considerable expertise on nuclear issues and have long focused on Iran’s nuclear efforts, have suggested that the accord under negotiation with Iran needs to be strengthened. Some American commentators have suggested that the French government’s motivation is primarily to counter the notion that the United States is the principal interlocutor with Iran and is largely intended for domestic consumption in France.
After speaking to the new media, Mr. Kerry and Mr. Fabius joined a larger meeting that included Philip Hammond, the British foreign secretary; Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, and Federica Mogherini, the foreign policy chief of the European Union. After speaking to the news media, Mr. Kerry and Mr. Fabius joined a larger meeting that included Philip Hammond, the British foreign secretary; Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, and Federica Mogherini, the foreign policy chief of the European Union.
The Iran talks are a two-stage progress. If the outline of an accord is reached this month, a detailed, comprehensive agreement is to follow by the end of June. But the need to close ranks with its negotiating partners is just one of a series of challenges the Obama administration is facing.The Iran talks are a two-stage progress. If the outline of an accord is reached this month, a detailed, comprehensive agreement is to follow by the end of June. But the need to close ranks with its negotiating partners is just one of a series of challenges the Obama administration is facing.
One major issue is the “sunset” problem — that is, what happens after the accord, which would limit Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting economic sanctions, expires. One major issue is the “sunset” problem — that is, what happens after the accord, which would limit Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting economic sanctions, expires. The length of the accord has not been decided, but it could be 15 years or less.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel expressed alarm in his Tuesday address before Congress that Iran would be free to vastly expand its network of centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium, after the accord ends. That, Israeli officials have argued, would greatly compress the time that Iran would need to develop nuclear weapons and would encourage Arab nations in the region to follow suit.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel expressed alarm in his Tuesday address before Congress that Iran would be free to vastly expand its network of centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium, after the accord ends. That, Israeli officials have argued, would greatly compress the time that Iran would need to develop nuclear weapons and would encourage Arab nations in the region to follow suit.
Administration officials assert that that criticism is off base. But they have yet to detail what combination of verification measures and possible constraints on Iran’s nuclear activities would remain in place.Administration officials assert that that criticism is off base. But they have yet to detail what combination of verification measures and possible constraints on Iran’s nuclear activities would remain in place.
Another important issue is what form any initial understanding might take. If an understanding is reached this month, as many experts expect, will it take the form of a written document that would be disseminated publicly? Or would it be a confidential understanding?Another important issue is what form any initial understanding might take. If an understanding is reached this month, as many experts expect, will it take the form of a written document that would be disseminated publicly? Or would it be a confidential understanding?
Anything less than a public document would make it harder for the Obama administration to make its case to Congress against the imposition of additional economic sanctions. But in a speech last month, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was critical of the two-step approach, fearing that an initial public document might be used to codify Iranian concessions without committing the United States and its negotiating partners to a firm schedule for removing economic sanctions.Anything less than a public document would make it harder for the Obama administration to make its case to Congress against the imposition of additional economic sanctions. But in a speech last month, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was critical of the two-step approach, fearing that an initial public document might be used to codify Iranian concessions without committing the United States and its negotiating partners to a firm schedule for removing economic sanctions.
A key issue, which is formally outside the scope of the Iran talks, is how to counter Iran’s influence in the Middle East and its interventions in Syria and Yemen.A key issue, which is formally outside the scope of the Iran talks, is how to counter Iran’s influence in the Middle East and its interventions in Syria and Yemen.
During his visit to Riyadh earlier this week, Mr. Kerry insisted that the United States was not pursuing a “grand bargain” with Iran that would be at its neighbors’ expense. But Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states worry lifting economic sanctions if a deal is struck will put the Iranians in a stronger position to pursue an aggressive foreign policy. During his visit to Riyadh earlier this week, Mr. Kerry insisted that the United States was not pursuing a “grand bargain” with Iran that would be at its neighbors’ expense. But Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states worry that lifting economic sanctions would put the Iranians in a stronger position to pursue an aggressive foreign policy.