France’s foreign minister says his country held out for firmer conditions in the preliminary agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, and remains cautious about its success.
Laurent Fabius said on Europe-1 radio Friday that the agreement reached between the Iranian regime and six world powers is a “very important” step. But he noted that it’s only a preliminary move, and “the end of the road is the end of June,” the deadline for a comprehensive agreement.
Fabius said France rejected the original draft as not “solid enough,” and the Iranian regime’s delegation threatened to leave the talks.
Meanwhile in Washington, US Republicans expressed skepticism about the deal to curb Iran’s nuclear programme, with House Speaker John Boehner demanding Congress be allowed to review the accord before crippling economic sanctions are lifted.
Several House and Senate members expressed cautious optimism about what President Barack Obama called a “historic understanding” reached yesterday between six world powers and Iran, a deal he assured would, if followed, prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.
Boehner slammed it as an “alarming departure” from the White House’s initial goals, suggesting the Obama administration caved to Iranian negotiators and allowed certain concessions.