US Won’t Rule Out More Extensions of Iran Negotiations

Declines Congressional Demands to Set Firm Deadline on Iran Talks

With foreign diplomats saying the finalization of a permanent nuclear settlement in Iran could take years, Congress is pushing hard for the US to set a firm deadline that the four month extension announced will be the end of all talks.

Congressional hawks, under intense pressure from Israel to see the negotiations end without a deal, are demanding that the US negotiators rule out any more extensions. Today, chief negotiator Wendy Sherman refused.

Sherman said it is the US intention to settle the negotiations by November 24 one way or another, but that they won’t rule out letting the talks continue beyond that point.

Congress opposed the interim deal in the first place, and similarly wanted the talks to end this month when the first deadline came to an end. The goal for them is to see an end to the talks and a return to escalating US hostility toward Iran at all costs, and they will continue to push against any openings for a deal, and against any further negotiations.

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.