Fwd: Iran

'Former senior advisers to US President Barack Obama have expressed concern at the emerging deal between world powers and Iran over its nuclear programme.

In an open letter, the security and foreign policy experts say it "falls short of meeting the administration's own standard of a 'good' agreement".

They call for fewer concessions on international nuclear inspections and on research and development activities…

The open letter published by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on Thursday is signed by a bipartisan group of US diplomats, legislators, policymakers and experts who have met regularly over the past three years to discuss Iran.

They include:

• Dennis Ross, who advised President Obama on Iran
• Former CIA director David Petraeus
• Robert Einhorn, a former member of the US negotiating team with Iran
• James Cartwright, a former vice-chairman of the US military's Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Gary Samore, a former Obama adviser on nuclear policy
• Stephen Hadley, who was a national security adviser to President George W Bush

 

"Most of us would have preferred a stronger agreement," the letter says.

"The agreement will not prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapons capability. It will not require the dismantling of Iran's nuclear infrastructure," it adds...

The letter calls on Mr Obama to insist that Iran provide information about nuclear weapons research Western powers suspect it has carried out, and allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to military sites.

The president is also urged to establish strict limits on the research and development of centrifuges used to enrich uranium to preclude the "rapid technical upgrade and expansion" of Iran's enrichment capacity at the end of any deal. '

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-33269405