Agreement Dilutes Risk of New War in the Middle East

Negotiation with the U.S.-led powers paves way for a definitive settlement, which, if implemented, will prevent Iran from making nuclear bomb.

Iran, the United States and five other powers announced yesterday that they reached a consensus on the general and specific parameters for negotiations on the Iranian nuclear agreement. With that settled, an itinerary of talks was scheduled with a June 30 deadline for a definitive arrangement that prevents Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

The outcome of yesterday was repeatedly threatened, not only because of the stalemates that emerged during the marathon talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, but also by unexpected external attacks. In particular, blows were dealt to the treaty by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a speech to the U.S. Congress, and Republican lawmakers, who even sent a letter to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, threatening to veto the agreement signed by the White House and allies.

Although it means an important step — including discouraging an arms race in the Middle East — representatives of the nations involved in the negotiations have shown caution, recognizing that they still need to overcome obstacles and define complex details. Even so, the negotiators’ optimistic tone was visible, especially from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and his Iranian colleague, Mohammad Javad Zarif. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated that the parameters set yesterday pave the way for a definitive agreement in June. U.S. President Barack Obama hailed the agreement as a historic event, adding that it is the best possible solution and an alternative “to a new war in the Middle East.”

One of the deadlocks in Lausanne was the Iranian negotiators’ demands of immediate suspension of economic sanctions against the country. It was agreed, however, that these will only be removed if there is a final agreement in June. It was a clever decision. Applying these measures proved effective in bringing Tehran to the negotiating table after years of resistance. Therefore, this pressure must be maintained. Besides, Iran’s interests in the Middle East, and its role as financier of groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis Shiite militias in Yemen, do not make the country of the ayatollahs reliable overnight.

A 10-year moratorium was established with yesterday’s agreement, during which Iran will have its nuclear program restricted to producing electric energy and medicinal use, with limited uranium enrichment capacity. It further stipulates a minimum period of one year before the country can restore its full nuclear capacity. In addition, it submits the Iranian government to strict surveillance by international inspectors. The main point is that, if fully implemented, the agreement will prevent Iran from developing the atomic bomb.