US infighting preventing n-deal: Daily

Tehran, Dec 9, IRNA - 'Iran Daily' on Tuesday cited pressure exerted by certain groups, particularly those in the US, which are posing a grave threat to the nuclear talks, as one of the key factors that are blocking the n-deal. Tussles between the White House and the US Congress on Iran’s nuclear case are serious and only a small part of them might be meant to send a message to Iran that the US government is unable to grant further concessions. Therefore, it is naïve to believe that their discord over Iran’s nuclear activities is superficial, added the English-language paper in its Opinion column. Such infighting in the US stems from disagreements between the Democrats and the Republicans. The White House and Congress have already clashed fiercely on economic issues or the so-called Obamacare and this could happen on Iran’s nuclear case, it noted. The Republicans seek to throw a wrench in the work of the Obama administration and want to discredit it and consequently the Democrats. They want to resolve Iran’s nuclear issue through the use of force while President Obama prefers diplomacy, pointed out the daily. The squabble might even cost an arm and a leg for both Iran and the US to bring the nuclear talks to a deadlock. One the reasons preventing an agreement in the latest nuclear negotiations was the inability of US Secretary of State John Kerry to convince the Congress about a comprehensive deal, underscored the daily. Iran has already proved that it will not yield to pressure and will not make unreasonable concessions, highlighted the paper. If the White House fails to convince the Congress on the need to lift anti-Iran sanctions, it will definitely be difficult to strike a final deal. Optimism expressed by Western officials including British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and US Vice President Joe Biden about a final deal with Iran over its nuclear energy program seems to be nothing but a show. Such remarks are aimed at preparing public opinion for a possible collapse of nuclear talks in the future. They seek to kick the ball into Iran’s court and blame it if talks break down, it said. If such optimism were real, Iran and the P5+1 should have reached a comprehensive agreement last month in Vienna. There are still yawning gaps and a deal seems to be out of reach, concluded the paper./end