The Hill: Clouds form over Iran deal as Trump deadline nears
Dark clouds are forming over the Iran nuclear deal as the calendar marches toward a May 12 deadline set by President Trump to improve the accord or see the United States effectively withdraw from it.
When Trump extended Iran’s sanctions relief in January, he pledged it would be the last time unless European allies agree to a supplemental deal to fix what the president sees as the fundamental problems with the nuclear pact negotiated by the Obama administration.
And while negotiations with the Europeans are ongoing, hopes for a solution are increasingly fading.
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WNU Editor: President Trump laid down his Iran nuclear deal conditions on January 12 (see above video). Since that announcement almost 3 month ago .... there has been no progress on this file. And with the May 12 deadline fast approaching .... one can speculate that this deal is now on life support. What may change everything are the current preparations for negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear program. Some are arguing that walking away from the Iran nuclear deal will be the wrong signal to send to North Korea ... while others are saying the opposite, that the U.S. demand for verifiable and thorough inspections is the only condition that the U.S. will accept any agreement. Either way the clock is ticking, and we will know our answers in the coming two months (or less).
North Korea needs no more signals after what has happened to Ukraine and Libya, both gave up their nuclear weapons and both were attacked by superior forces. Iran deal's life or death won't change history. Kim's goal is to rid South Korea of US troops, something I think is more possible than past era's. Something that Trump might desire as well. A deal involving Chinese guarantees of non-nuclear North, very public destruction of known North nuclear sites, intrusive inspections among US, China and Koreans might work. Of course the North would hide dozens of warheads and launchers in their vast cave network.
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