Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers resumed in Vienna
on May 12. The members of the UN Security Council (U.S., Britain,
France, Russia and China) plus Germany are aiming to finalize a deal
with Iran by June 30 regarding its nuclear program.This widely
anticipated agreement would put an end to economic sanctions to Iran,
opening up a huge market to investment and trade in the midst of an
economic crisis. At the same time, it would provide a multi-billion
dollar relief for the strained Iranian economy.
Teheran has never accepted that it was pursuing a nuclear weapons
development program. US public opinion is overwhelmingly favorable to an
agreement, but the prospect of Iran gaining uninterrupted access to
world markets has unnerved both the Israeli and Gulf state governments.
The recently reelected Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin
Netanyahu, has campaigned visibly in the US against the deal. President
Obama is likely to be met with Congress opposition, forcing the
President to use his veto.
The end of Iran’s prolonged international economic isolation and a
deal that would halt Teheran’s perceived nuclear program could very well
shape political discourse in the US as the campaign to secure
Presidential nomination has kicked off. In diplomatic terms, the 30th of
June seems like a marathon, not a sprint for those hoping to conclude
the agreement.
