Petraeus, Former Obama Aides Slam Emerging Iran Nuclear Deal -

Petraeus, Former Obama Aides Slam Emerging Iran Nuclear Deal -

(Newsmax) – A group of prominent American security advisers, including five with ties to President Barack Obama's first term, warned on Wednesday that a deal on curbing Iran's nuclear program was at risk of failing to provide adequate safeguards.

In an open letter, the group of former U.S. officials and foreign policy experts cautioned that an Iran nuclear deal would "fall short of meeting the administration's own standard of a 'good' agreement" unless it included a tougher line on United Nations nuclear inspections and conditions for sanctions relief.

The release of the letter, which was signed by Dennis Ross, an adviser on Iran and the Middle East in Obama's first term, comes as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry prepares to fly to Vienna on Friday to join the talks.

Several of the senior officials told The New York Times that the was prompted by concern that Obama's negotiators were headed toward concessions that would weaken international inspection of Iran's facilities. They also feared that a deal in the works backs away from forcing Tehran to reveal its suspected past work on weapons while Iranian research and development that would put it on a course to resuming intensive production of nuclear fuel as soon as the accord expires.

"The public nature of the announcement by some of Mr. Obama's best-known former advisers, all of whom had central roles in the diplomatic, intelligence and military efforts to counter Iran's program, adds to the challenge facing" the administration as the negotiations head toward a deadline of next Tuesday, the Times wrote in its article.

Ross told Reuters it was vital that negotiations were not driven by a deadline but by "getting it right."                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Any deal would face fierce opposition from Republicans who have argued the Obama administration is readying a deal that would leave Iran with a clear path to making a nuclear weapon.

Kerry, speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening, said it was too early to say if negotiators could clear the last outstanding issues.

"If they are not addressed, there will not be a deal," he said. "We have been very clear that we are not going to negotiate in public."

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/iran-deal-letter-former/2015/06/24/id/652098/#sthash.97ntH6eS.dpuf