Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously passed legislation that would allow Congress to review—and potentially block—any final deal reached with Iran over its nuclear program. The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (S.615) would also prevent the Obama Administration from immediately suspending sanctions against Iran during an initial 30-day congressional review period.
As widely reported, the United States, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom (the P5+1), coordinated by the European Union’s High Representative, reached a Framework Agreement with Iran on April 2, 2015, pursuant to which the parties will work through June 2015 to craft a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
President Rouhani speaks of conciliation with the United States, but the differing bilateral descriptions of the parameters have some Iranians worried that a deal is by no means certain. Debate is raging inside Iran about the meaning of what happened in Lausanne last week. Two of the biggest questions center on why the U.S. and… Keep reading →
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said the Iran deal addresses every way the country could possibly get a nuclear weapon and gives the international community unprecedented transparency to Iran’s nuclear program. “There is a fair amount of concern about the deal – which would scale back Iran’s nuclear facilities in exchange for long-term sanctions relief from the… Keep reading →
Foreign ministers in Lausanne, Switzerland on Iran’s nuclear programme have said they are inching towards a joint statement, which would be accompanied by a set of agreed parameters that would be kept secret, according to European diplomats. The EU and Iran are expected to issue a joint statement on the talks at 6pm GMT on… Keep reading →
With reports that Washington and its partners may reach a nuclear accord with Iran in the coming days, a former senior IAEA safeguards official answers the most pressing questions about Tehran’s program and how the agreement might affect its capabilities. What is the commonly accepted definition of “breakout time”? This is the time required to… Keep reading →
As negotiations intensify this month, Moscow will continue pursuing its own agenda. Diplomats from Iran and the P5+1 nations — the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, and Germany — are rushing to conclude a nuclear agreement before the self-imposed March 24 deadline. While many details remain unavailable, the technical debate largely centers around the… Keep reading →
There were conflicting opinions emerging from the American and Iranian camps following the latest round of discussions at the nuclear summit in Switzerland when Sec. Ernest Moniz met with his Iranian counterpart. “In comments to the Iranian news media, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said that 90 percent… Keep reading →
Blowing up a mock U.S. carrier was likely the Supreme Leader’s way of prodding the depressed oil market and reaffirming his role as the true arbiter of Iran’s nuclear future. On February 25, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched its long-overdue “Great Prophet 9” naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz by attacking a… Keep reading →
Whether by advocating careful congressional action or simply waiting until a new administration is in place, those who question the president’s apparent Iran strategy will have several means of correcting course once an agreement is signed. The Obama administration and the rest of the P5+1 will likely agree soon on a limited-duration agreement with Iran… Keep reading →
