After Major U.S. Concessions, Iran deal ‘done,’ Israeli report says
(Worthy News) – A deal has been reached between the world powers and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program after a series of major American concessions, Ehud Yaari, the Middle East affairs commentator for Israel’s Channel 2 television, said Friday night. “It is done. It is done,” he said, and will be signed “early next week.”
The aim of the agreement is to put a negotiated end to a 13-year standoff with Iran over its suspect nuclear program and to block its pathway to developing a nuclear bomb in exchange for lifting biting global sanctions. Israel’s leadership has relentlessly opposed the emerging agreement, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning that it will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal.
According to Yaari, Israel’s most respected Middle East analyst, the deal was reached because the Americans “have made a series of capitulations over the past two to three weeks in almost every key aspect that was being debated.”
One major concession, Yaari said, is the issue of inspections of Iranian nuclear sites, which has long been a sticking point in the negotiations. According to Yaari, the US negotiators have given in to an Iranian demand that inspections are “managed” — in other words, there will be no surprise visits, only those that are pre-arranged and approved by the Iranian regime.[ Source ]
Foreign Policy editor: U.S. has ‘backed down’ on ‘whole host’ of Iran deal measures
Iran Made Illegal Purchases of Nuclear Weapons Technology Last Month
The first report was released last month by the U.N. panel of experts in charge of reporting compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions regarding Iran. The panel noted that U.N. member states had not reported significant violations of U.N. sanctions and speculated as to why: either Iran was complying, or countries did not wish to interfere with negotiations.
The second report, released last week by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, is less ambiguous. The agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, confirmed to us that Iran continues to seek illicit technology for its nuclear and ballistic missiles programs.
Iran has had a long history of trying to obtain nuclear technology from German companies, particularly by seeking ways to transport merchandise in circumvention of international sanctions. Since November 2013, Tehran has sought industry computers, high-speed cameras, cable fiber, and pumps for its nuclear and missile program. It appears that Iran’s readiness to negotiate does not reflect any substantive policy change. Rather, it is a diplomatic tactic retreat forced by economic distress, not a strategic rethinking of its priorities. [ Source ]
‘98%’ of nuclear deal completed, but key sticking points remain
A new deadline for an agreement is looming on Monday, and both sides are asking how much longer busy ministers can clear their schedules to hunker down in Vienna as they seek to end a 13-year standoff with the Islamic Republic.
“Everything is on the table. It’s now time to decide,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius warned on the 15th day of the tortuous talks.
Iran and the so-called P5+1 group, including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, are seeking to curtail Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons in exchange for relief from painful sanctions. [ Source ]