Trump says he’ll make ‘big announcement’ Nov. 15 in Florida
The U.S. is in negotiations over a possible deal with Iran on its nuclear program, a senior administration official briefed on those talks told reporters on Monday.
The talks are “serious work,” and if a deal is struck, it would take a number of months for it to be put into effect, the official said. “It can’t become a reality immediately,” but the negotiations would intensify before they were complete. “We’re having that discussion in serious, serious, serious, serious talks.”
The White House issued a statement saying that President Barack Obama would make “a major announcement” on Iran in Florida on Nov. 15. It did not elaborate on the nature of the announcement.
At an Aug. 17 news briefing, Obama said he believed Iran’s nuclear program to be “clearly in violation” of the terms of the nuclear deal that was reached with Tehran in 2015.
Obama has called on Iran to accept the new agreement, which lifts some sanctions and caps Iran’s ability to enrich uranium.
The White House press secretary sought to clarify what Obama meant by “violation.”
“The president has made it very clear that the international community needs to live up to its commitments made under the JCPOA and the President believes that the International Atomic Energy Agency is now in a position to do so,” said White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah.
“The U.N. Security Council and other international entities must not attempt to undermine the JCPOA, which our country and its international partners have been working on to ensure full and proper implementation of the agreement’s goals for the peaceful production of nuclear fuel,” Shah added.
Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has in the past said the country can still meet the agreement’s verification requirements, including ensuring that its nuclear facilities are free of any potential threats.
After Obama’s announcement, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Obama’s statement “doesn’t
