Expectations for a deal to emerge from Iran nuclear talks

Assessment: Even Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the ultimate decision-maker on matters of strategic importance, seems to be hinting that a deal is in the works …

After weeks of doubts and mutual accusations of bad-faith negotiations, a newfound optimism is emanating from the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna. Notably, the US and France, which had sounded an increasingly dire tone as talks dragged on, are now decidedly more sanguine in their public statements.

“You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.” Ezekiel 39:4

Last Thursday, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the US was seeing “modest progress.”

“I remain convinced we can reach a deal. Bits of progress have been made in the last few days,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French media the next day. “We have been heading in a positive direction in the last few days, but time is of the essence.”

Even Israeli officials are increasingly convinced a deal is on the way. On January 3, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid told journalists that Israeli officials now believe an agreement will be reached.