U.S. activist Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink, sits in the audience and holds a sign that reads “World Wants Iran Deal” as Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, and Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew, testify at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Thursday, July 23, 2015, to review the Iran nuclear agreement. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
After more than two years of negotiations the Obama administration is on the cusp of finalizing a deal that limits Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons.
Should the deal pass muster with Congress— which is currently reviewing it—it will be a landmark accord for President Barack Obama. That Republicans, and Israel, are uniformly opposed to the deal is a given. Israel, and the Republicans, made clear their opposition when the Republicans invited Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, to address Congress over the objections of the Obama administration.
The accord would limit Iran’s ability to build nuclear weapons, lift billions of dollars of sanctions on the country and give U.N. inspectors access to the country’s nuclear facilities, among other things.
The Middle East is currently in the throes of revolution and oppression and Iran is a major factor in much of it. This deal could, if the parties stick to what they are supposed to do, lessen some of the conflict the region is known for.
Unstable nations such as Pakistan and North Korea already have nuclear weapons. This deal will delay Iran joining that club for at least 10 years.