Great Expectations

"We did some polling last week, which we’ve not yet publicly released, which shows that 7 out of 10 Americans want Congressional approval of a deal."
"Western states are hardly in lockstep. The British government has sounded distinctly pessimistic that a deal is within reach, while Kerry is said to be anxious that the French government will not support a deal, having been unsuccessful in his earlier attempt to secure an undertaking from Fabius that no last minute objections would surface."
"There was a meeting in Vienna today of the French and British Foreign Ministers and the U.S. Secretary of State which was described to me as 'frosty'. That leads me to believe that the French and maybe the British will adopt a harder line than the Americans."
Josh Block, president, The Israel Project, Washington 

"We do want to get an agreement, but not just an agreement. We hope that the gaps that exist -- and they do exist -- can be closed. We hope we can define the finish line."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Vienna

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in Vienna with EU negotiator Catherine Ashton and US Secretary of State John Kerry. Photo: Twitter

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is nothing if not perpetually optimistic, despite all the signals for pessimism whacking him topside his head. He is, nonetheless resolved to overcoming the deep differences that the G5+1 have with Tehran over the size and scope of its nuclear ambitions, which are meant solely for domestic energy and medical isotope production. Whatever has inspired the West to mistrust Iran in its declaration of no-interest-whatever in nuclear warheads is the West's problem, not Iran's.

And Iran will most definitely not brook any interference in its future plans for its nuclear programs. It is entitled to them and that is where the matter must stop. The reduction in Iran's centrifuges from the 19,000 in current operation to 4,500 meant to ensure a delay in the Republic's accumulation of the fissile material capable of enabling a nuclear weapon represents an intolerable interference with the sovereignty of a state fully capable of deciding on its own what it will and will not do.

The financial sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran are intolerable and must be entirely lifted. This, after all is what motivated Iran to come to the negotiating table, with smiles and assurances, placatory gestures and promises. The degree and timing of sanctions relief are completely unsatisfactory since it is clear to the Iranians that their cooperation in noncommittal noncooperation should merit immediate unconditional lifting of sanctions rather than the incremental relief the G5+1 is offering with their 20-year deal.


But there is civility and smiles all around in Vienna. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif get on together quite swimmingly. While senior negotiators work behind the scenes, feverishly with little to smile about, to word an agreement meant to reduce the potential threat inherent in Iran's nuclear program and in the process reduce substantially its technical ability to produce atomic weapons, smiles abound at the diplomatic level.

The scowls predominate in Tehran, however. Mr. Kerry remains optimistic that a deal can yet be put together by the target date set for Monday; negotiators "are not talking about an extension" with Iran, yet no one anticipates the possibility of the wide differences being capable of being bridged in a few days' time. Leading the Russian delegation at the talks Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov agreed no extension was being discussed.

But, he said "the talks are ... in (an) extremely tense situation" with the opportunity of reaching a deal appearing difficult, however "we shouldn't miss a chance".