DIPLOMATIC DILEMMA
Iran talks put U. S. in bind
U. S. President Barack Obama’s willingness to extend Iranian nuclear talks at least twice this week has laid bare the dilemma he faces as he pursues a high- stakes accord.
Walking away from negotiations would strip Obama of a legacyshaping deal, deeply complicate international efforts to stop Iran’s suspected pursuit of a bomb and perhaps raise the spectre of U. S. military action against Tehran’s nuclear installations. But by blowing through self- imposed deadlines, Obama risks further antagonizing lawmakers in both parties who are poised to take their own action to upend a deal if they feel the president has been too conciliatory to Tehran.
The initial response to the extensions from Republicans suggested they had already come to that conclusion.
“The longer the Obama administration stays at the negotiating table with Iran, the more concessions it makes,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination.
Republican Sen. Steve Daines said the desire for successful negotiations “should not blind the Obama administration from the reality that only Iran is benefiting from the current approach.”
Citing progress in the marathon negotiations, the U. S. and its international negotiating partners agreed earlier this week to ignore a Tuesday deadline to reach a framework agreement with Iran. After an extra day of talks in Switzerland on Wednesday, the negotiators agreed to continue their discussions at least into Thursday.
The end- of- March benchmark was part of a two- pronged blueprint to bring the negotiations to a close. The U. S. and its partners — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — aimed to reach a framework agreement on major issues by March, then finalize technical details by the end of June.
Obama was able to use the prospect of a March framework to keep Congress at bay. Earlier this year, skeptical Democrats agreed to put off supporting a new Iran sanctions bill while negotiators tried to hammer out a framework.
Congress is on a two- week recess, giving Obama some breathing room as negotiations continue. But Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell’s office reiterated Wednesday that the chamber would vote on an Iran measure regardless of the outcome of the talks.
The negotiations centre on curtailing Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from biting international sanctions. The U. S. and much of the international community say Iran is pursuing a bomb, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.