Mention 鈥済rand bargain,鈥� and most Washington watchers will be forgiven for thinking domestically and in terms of the deal Obama will be trying to reach with Republicans to avoid the 鈥渇iscal cliff鈥� of mandatory budget cuts and tax hikes.
But there鈥檚 another grand bargain hanging out there like hard-to-reach fruit, and that鈥檚 one envisioned between Washington and Tehran that would verifiably end the threat of Iran鈥檚 nuclear program, ensuring there is no path to an Iranian nuclear weapon. In exchange, the US would lift onerous economic sanctions 鈥� and potentially even normalize relations.
But reaching such a grand bargain is by no means a short-term proposition, with most regional experts agreeing that the interim steps are daunting enough. Dormant international negotiations with the Iranians (and which include the US) may well get going again in the wake of the US elections 鈥� especially given the severe bite that international sanctions have made in the Iranian economy.
An interim deal would address the most threatening aspects of Iran鈥檚 uranium enrichment program, but prospects are dim for reaching such a deal before Israel decides Iran has crossed a 鈥渞ed line鈥� in its stockpiling of enriched uranium 鈥� perhaps next spring or summer, some analysts say.
Within weeks of Obama鈥檚 second inauguration, the Iran nuclear issue could lead to a new paroxysm of tensions and renewed speculation over the dire global consequences of another Middle East war.
