State Dept: US Won’t Consider Extension of Iran Talks

Officials Insist June 30 Deadline Can Be Met

In a move that should surprise no one, the US State Department has followed up talk of a possible extension of the Iran nuclear negotiations beyond June 30 by declaring that they won’t even consider such an extension yet.

The US has made similar comments against extensions virtually every time a deadline nears, apparently trying to use the close deadline to force concessions out of Iran, but has likewise always agreed to extensions at the last minute.

The intrigue going into June 30 will likely be no different, for while the State Department insists the deadline can be met, neither France nor Iran sees this as likely, and with so much progress already made it is unthinkable that the talks would be scrapped at the last minute over the deadline.

An extension would be politically difficult for the Obama Administration right now, with Congressional leaders still under intense pressure from Israel to scrap the deal. This may also be beneficial for the extension, however, giving Israel more time to come to terms with the US over the billions in subsidies it expects for accepting the pact.

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.