Nuclear deal with Iran in sight

Protracted negotiations with Iran by five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany-- all big powers of the world-agreed in Lausanne of Switzerland on April 2 to have a comprehensive agreement finalised by June 30. The accord came despite stern warning by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 47 Republican members of the US Senate. Iran now has agreed in principle to reduce its centrifuges by two-thirds, from about 19,000 to 6,000. For 10 years, (a) only 5,060 of the centrifuges could enrich uranium, b) Iran would restrict uranium enrichment for 15 years and agreed to build new enrichment facilities in that period c) the International Atomic Energy Agency of the UN would be given access to all sites to confirm past and present activities. The US and the European Union would suspend sanctions after monitors verify whether Iran is complying with the agreement. Sanctions could snap back into place, if needed.
Significant development is related to the Fordo facility which will be converted into a nuclear science centre while the controversial Ark facility will be redesigned.
Addressing a press conference in Lausanne, chief of EU foreign policy affairs Federica Mogherini said the basis for a deal on peaceful Iranian nuclear programme has reached. This will limit enrichment and stockpile while President Hollande said France along with its partners will monitor the implementation of the terms of the agreement before a final deal by the end of June is reached.
Main proponent of the deal with Iran, President Barack Obama has hailed the deal by saying ,"I am convinced that if this framework leads to a final, comprehensive deal, it will make our country, our allies and our world safer." President Obama briefed Saudi monarch Salman and the Israeli Prime Minister as well on the development on the deal between Iran and five  permanent members of the Security council plus Germany. The US President did no spare time to brief Congressional leaders and promised to work with lawmakers on how they could play what he called a constructive oversight role. He reminded them by saying the issues at stake here are bigger than politics. These are matters of war and peace. He warned the Congress by saying,"If the Congress kills this deal---not based on expert analysis and without offering any reasonable alternative---then it's the US that will be blamed for the failure of diplomacy."
President Obama's senior advisor Valerie Jarrett had secret talks with Iranian representatives of supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in November, 2012 in Bahrain and Qatar. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was angry for the secret talks.  Republican leaders in the Congress in line with the Israeli Prime Minister quickly attacked the framework while Benjamin Netanyahu said a deal based on the framework would threaten the survival of his country.
Any sensible man of integrity who has knowledge of nuclear power would dismiss the concern of Netanyahu because Israel is a nuclear power which has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT) like India, Pakistan and South Sudan while North Korea backed out of the treaty. Israel has a huge stockpile of nuclear weapons including bombs. According to the Federation of American Scientists, stockpile of Israeli nuclear weapons varies from 70 to 400 overheads and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that Israel has approximately 80 intact nuclear weapons. On the other hand, Iran is a signatory to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT) and Iran has the right to develop nuclear power for domestic use as per the charter on NPT.
President Obama in fact succeeded in securing a breakthrough in negotiations to limit Iran's nuclear weapons and opening door to a final comprehensive deal. Comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran will turn out to be Obama's legacy like a rapprochement with communist country Cuba.
The writer is a retired diplomat from Bangladesh.
 amjad.21@gmail.com