As Nuclear Deadline Approaches the Stances of the Sides Harden

• 06.26.2015, 10:24
•  America,  Region,  World

As the deadline June 30 for the Iran Nuclear comprehensive agreement approaches the sides harden their stance. On June 26 the US State Secretary John Kerry and Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif are to meet in Vienna to finalize the agreement reached in Lausanne, Switzerland on April 2. However, the rhetoric of the sides seems to get less compromising.

As U.SNews reports the other day John Kerry demanded form Iran fulfillment of all the measures agreed noting that otherwise the deal will not be fulfilled: "It may be that the Iranians will not fill out the full measure of what was agreed at Lausanne and, in that case, there will not be an agreement." 

Kerry’s comments were in response to the last declarations made by the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who on the occasion noted:

"We don’t accept a 10-year restriction. We have told the negotiating team how many specific years of restrictions are acceptable," Research and development must continue during the years of restrictions. Lifting sanctions can’t depend on implementation of Iran’s obligations," the Iranian Project reports.

In his turn Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif before leaving for Vienna made Twitter post with a reference to the words of Supreme Leader: "Iranians want a dignified deal and reject excessive demands, going to Vienna to secure a fair and lasting Iran deal."

Naturally enough the US congressmen also did not remain silent on the issues and came up with toughened stance. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on June 25 on "Evaluating Key Components of a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran." The meeting of the Senate Committee came after Chairman Bob Corker, Republican Senator demanded from  Barack Obama administration to abandon the talks if a final deal does not include "full disclosure" of  past weapon-related nuclear work  and "the ability to conduct inspections anytime, anywhere," Al Monitor reports.

The hardened stance of the sides on the eve of the set deadline is natural and is explained by the last efforts of the sides to get utmost dividends on the negotiations table. However, the sides are to realize that the tougher their demands become on the eve of negotiations’ deadline,  the higher  the expectations in their countries become from the outcome of  negotiations; the fact that will make it difficult for the sides to go to compromises not to lose their face in their own countries.  The absence of the compromises will result in no agreement and the sides will have to leave the negotiation table once again with empty hands.