In a dramatic breakthrough, Iran and the P5+1 — the United States, China, Russia, France, United Kingdom and Germany — reached on Tuesday a final, comprehensive deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear program while gradually easing international sanctions. Despite criticism of it, the deal is a major historic landmark that could have profound geopolitical and economic consequences in the Middle East and beyond.
The importance, complexity and tough nature of the entire 18-month talks process is underlined by the fact that John Kerry stayed for almost 3 weeks in Vienna to seal the final deal, making his engagement the longest negotiation at a single site by a U.S. secretary of state since the Second World War some seven decades ago. This investment of effort underlines that the accord is perceived by the administration as a very significant foreign policy victory.
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