White House says Obama spoke to Netanyahu about Iran nuclear deal

Arms control experts tend to say this is about the best we could get.

US President Barack Obama says a landmark nuclear agreement with Iran is a chance for a new direction with Tehran, after decades of strained relations. But that option appeared to fade as the U.S.-led group of powers engaged in diplomacy with Iran. Obama’s most pressing task will be holding off efforts by Congress to levy new sanctions on Iran or block his ability to suspend existing ones. “This was supposed to be a negotiation about their illicit nuclear weapons program”.

NYC mayor Bill de Blasio strongly endorsed the nuclear agreement with Iran, announced earlier on Tuesday, offering his support to the president as mayor of the city with the largest Jewish population on earth.

“If it’s as bad a deal as I think it is”, said Republican House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, “we’re going to do everything we can to stop it”.

Gold said open communications were needed to report and act on any attempt by Iran to violate the curbs on its nuclear program, an allusion to increased Israeli monitoring. Iran could also sell more oil, bringing down crude prices. Netanyahu also stated that Israel does not feel bound by the agreement, implying that it may take matters into its own hands.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential front-runner, backed the deal, but her Republican rivals were unanimous in their disapproval. The breakout timeline for Iran to develop enough material for a nuclear weapon will be four times longer with a deal than without one.

“I would remind Congress you don’t make deals like this with your friends”, he added, a nod to the fact that the deal does not meet every demand from lawmakers.

Democrats, without endorsing the deal, said it must be looked over carefully and praised Obama for reaching the agreement.

The breakthrough came after several key compromises. A United Nations weapons embargo would remain in place for five years and a ban on buying missile technology would remain for eight years. “Numerous restrictions that were supposed to prevent it from getting there will be lifted”.

Iran has often balked at this, saying the military installations are not part of its nuclear facilities. The sides have reportedly agreed on an inspections regime that would allow monitors full access to Iran’s nuclear sites – though the inspectors would have to give advance notice before the inspections. However, access isn’t guaranteed and could be delayed, a condition that critics of the deal are sure to seize on as possibly giving Tehran time to cover up any illicit activity.

Under the accord, Tehran would have the right to challenge U.N requests, and an arbitration board composed of Iran and the six world powers would then decide on the issue.

One major sticking point for many Republicans, including Fitzpatrick, is that any deal with Iran be first reviewed by Congress before it can be signed into law. She has stayed involved with their progress with regular briefings, according to aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss private meetings. They return September 8 and will have approximately a week to vote on a deal before the 60-day review period expires.

The deal comes after almost a decade of worldwide, intercontinental diplomacy that until recently was defined by failure. “It will not prevent Iran from expanding its nuclear programs, and it will only delay its development of nuclear weapons“. The USA and Israel both threatened possible military responses.

The final agreement with Iran was negotiated by US, Britain, Germany, France, China and Russian Federation.

This process started nearly immediately after Iranians elected a moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, in mid-2013.

Relations between the countries are so close that Iranian Revolutionary Guards are reportedly fighting alongside Shiite militias against the so-called Islamic State.