WhileJulian Pecquetreported last week that the Obama administration may have won a tactical victory by delaying a vote on a Senate sanctions bill until March,Laura Rozenwrites that others are questioning the rationale for a March vote.
Some US administration allies are puzzled that what they consider a soft deadline for a framework agreement for a finalIran nuclear dealhas seemingly become the de facto deadline, rather than theJune 30deadlinethat Iran and thesix world powersagreed to in November.The USadministration has 'bought two months, but sold three,'a Western diplomat, speaking not for attribution, told Al-Monitor.
This column haspreviously questionedthe wisdom of rushing to an artificial deadline given Irans general compliance with theJoint Plan of Action, signed in November 2013.