The Wall Street Journal writes: “With a Monday deadline looming, either success or failure of the talks would have fateful implications for Washington’s ties to the Middle East and for the potential spread of atomic arms in the region.
“What diplomats say is the most likely outcome—an extension of talks—would prolong uncertainty over the conflict between Iran and the West.”
The New York Times describes the talks as ‘devilishly difficult’, adding: “The United States long ago dropped the goal of eliminating Iran’s enrichment ability, a demand that Israel has long insisted was the surest way to guarantee Iran did not maintain an option to pursue the development of nuclear arms.
“So the negotiations have been focused on measures that would constrain Iran’s ability to quickly produce a nuclear bomb but allow it the ability to maintain what Iran insists is a peaceful program of nuclear power and research.”
The New York Times said: “The Obama administration is loath to talk openly about extending the deadline for fear that it would ease the pressure on Iran to make hard decisions.”
It quotes US Secretary of State John Kerry as saying: “We are driving towards what we believe is the outline of an agreement that we think we can have.”
The Weekly Standards writes: “The White House prides itself on the notion that its nuclear negotiations with Iran will have prevented an other-wise inevitable war. The truth is the opposite.
“In lifting sanctions and yielding repeatedly to an expansionist Iran, the Obama administration has brought America and its allies to this pass: Either Iran will get a nuclear bomb, or war will be the only way to stop it. Worse, the administration has increased the chances we might get both outcomes at once.”
And Britain’s The Guardian writes: “In the end, Rouhani and Khamenei must decide whether regime stability and international normalisation are a better bet than holding on to the possibility of building a bomb – and the pariah status that comes with it.”
The Reuters news concludes by quoting French foreign minister Laurent Fabius and Mr Kerry, who said in a joint statement: “We want a deal, but important points of difference remain. We hope that we can reduce those in the coming days, but that will depend on the attitude of the Iranians.”
