Is it possible that President Obama would sign off on a nuclear agreement with Iran that did not provide for inspection of Iran’s military sites? We know we’re in trouble when it’s the French Foreign Minister who has allegedly insisted on this point, but we already knew that. The Hill reports:
The latest wrinkle arose as talks resumed in Vienna, between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who has taken a tough stance on the talks.
Fabius said on Wednesday that Paris would not support a deal that does not allow nuclear inspectors inside Iran’s military sites.
The remark came in response to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments on May 20 that Iran would not “any inspections of military sites by foreigners” or interviews with Iran’s nuclear scientists.
Zarif responded to Fabius on Thursday, warning that reaching a final nuclear deal “within a reasonable period of time” would be hard if the other side stuck to “excessive demands.”
The Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader has drawn a supremely hard line on this point. Indeed, for good measure, he reiterated it yesterday (video below). Quotable quote posted by the Supreme Leader here: “They are saying new things in the nuclear negotiations. For example, they speak about visiting and examining our centers. As we said before, we will not allow any military center to be examined by foreigners. They say that they should interview our scientists. In other words, they want to interrogate them. We do not allow our nuclear scientists and scientists in any sensitive and important area to endure the slightest insult. I do not allow foreigners to speak to our scientists and the outstanding and dear children of the people of Iran who have helped this vast science reach the current point. No wise person and government in the world gives such permission. They hide their scientists and they do not even let their names be disclosed.”
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