By Thomas Madison
Beltway buzzword of the the week: Framework.
If there were a Nobel Peace Prize for insanity, Barrack Hussein would surely be a nominee. He has built a “framework” of capitulation that would make Neville Chamberlain swoon.
Ever the tenacious negotiator, Hussein has brought the Iranians to their knees, forcing them to accept a lifting of sanctions and half a billion dollars a month in formerly frozen assets, all in return for the mullahs driving full steam ahead with their nuclear program. Such a deal!
This is NOT a “framework!” It is a steaming pile of Barrack Hussein!
‘Framework’ for final deal reached at Iran nuclear talks
From John Irish, Parisa Hafezi and Louis Charbonneau, Reuters
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) – A framework was reached at marathon talks on Iran’s nuclear programme in Switzerland that will allow further negotiations towards a final agreement, Germany and Iran said, although it was not clear what details would be made public.
Western and Iranian officials at the talks said they would conclude with a joint statement announcing that enough progress had been reached to allow further negotiations until a final deadline of June 30.
“Agreement on framework for final agreement reached. Press conference following,” Germany’s foreign ministry said on Twitter.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif Tweeted: “Found solutions, ready to start drafting immediately”.
A Western official said it was still not clear how much detail would be released about the degree of political understanding between Iran and the major powers.
The joint statement would be issued by Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who has acted as a coordinator for the six powers – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
The powers are negotiating with Tehran to prevent it from acquiring the means to develop a nuclear bomb.
Representatives of all the sides sat for a full session of talks at around 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) on Thursday, and officials said they expected the statement around an hour later, although it could be delayed.
Zarif and Mogherini would release their statement and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry would then hold a news conference to explain the outcome.
It would wrap up eight days of marathon talks, extended after a deadline of midnight on Tuesday. The aim of the talks has been to reach a political agreement that could serve as the basis for a final deal by June 30.
Iran wants to preserve what it says is its right to peaceful nuclear technology, while lifting international sanctions that have hamstrung its economy.
The talks are the biggest opportunity for rapprochement between Washington and Tehran since they became enemies after Iran’s 1979 revolution, but any deal faces scepticism from conservatives in both countries. U.S. allies in the Middle East are also sceptical, especially Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Throughout the talks, the sides have repeatedly said they were making progress but the negotiations could collapse at any time over disagreement on details.
The United States wants to extend the “breakout time” Iran would need to obtain the enriched uranium needed to make a bomb should it decide to pursue one, by placing limits on Iran’s use of centrifuges to make the material and on its stockpiles.
The talks – the culmination of a 12-year process – have become hung up on the issues of Iran’s nuclear centrifuge research, details on the lifting of U.N. sanctions, and how they would be re-imposed if Iran breached the agreement.
All sides are under pressure not to go home empty handed, but Washington reiterated on Wednesday it was willing to walk away if the sides could not agree on a preliminary framework. White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in Washington: “the time has come for Iran to make some decisions”.
(Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Louise Ireland)