In September 2013, President Obama and Iranian President Rouhani had a historic phone call — the first direct U.S.-Iran presidential contact since 1979 — signaling a serious diplomatic opening. By November 2013, the U.S. and its P5+1 partners (UK, France, Germany, China, Russia, and the EU) reached an interim agreement called the Joint Plan of Action to freeze parts of Iran's nuclear program while full negotiations continued.
After 20 months of intensive talks, a framework agreement was reached in Lausanne, Switzerland in April 2015, with Iran agreeing to accept restrictions on its nuclear program and submit to expanded international inspections. That July, the final deal — the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) — was signed. Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment, reduce its stockpile, and allow IAEA monitoring in exchange for sanctions relief, extending its nuclear "breakout time" from 2–3 months to at least 12 months. By January 2016, the IAEA verified Iran had fulfilled its obligations and the deal went into effect.
Obama's view was that while the deal wasn't perfect, it created the most comprehensive inspection and verification framework ever negotiated. Trump argued his predecessor's team simply negotiated poorly and should have walked away to force better terms.
After 20 months of intensive talks, a framework agreement was reached in Lausanne, Switzerland in April 2015, with Iran agreeing to accept restrictions on its nuclear program and submit to expanded international inspections. That July, the final deal — the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) — was signed. Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment, reduce its stockpile, and allow IAEA monitoring in exchange for sanctions relief, extending its nuclear "breakout time" from 2–3 months to at least 12 months. By January 2016, the IAEA verified Iran had fulfilled its obligations and the deal went into effect.
Obama's view was that while the deal wasn't perfect, it created the most comprehensive inspection and verification framework ever negotiated. Trump argued his predecessor's team simply negotiated poorly and should have walked away to force better terms.
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