Obama: US Open to Talk on Immediately Ending Iran Sanctions

Both US and Iran Insist the Other Is Misinterpreting Framework

The framework deal between Iran and the P5+1 is still a matter of no small contention between US and Iranian officials, as the lack of an official release of the text has both sides claiming different terms and accusing the other of misinterpreting what was agreed to.

President Obama once again addressed this, but still seems to be unwilling to see the actual text of the deal released to determine who is right. At the same time, he’s claiming the US is “open to talks” on the issue of immediate sanctions relief.

Iran has insisted the immediate relief was implied in the framework, something the US has denied. Offering “talks” on the issue seems to be a way for the White House to avoid a confrontation on whether they already agreed to the matter or not.

It’s important, because Congressional hawks are all the more likely to kill the Iran deal if the sanctions relief is part of it. At the same time, the growing disagreement over what’s already been agreed to is creating an atmosphere of distrust, with hawks on both sides assuming the other side is violating the secret framework.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.