Rather than questioning the motivations of the skeptics, the administration would be wise to

demonstrate that it has compelling answers to their concerns about the possible vulnerabilities of
the deal, he wrote in an article published Wednesday for the Washington Institute of Near East
Policy.
Former U.S. Ambassador Thomas Pickering, a staunch supporter of the diplomacy, said there is
too much at stake to abandon the negotiations entirely. But he said taking a temporary break
from them could be useful.
They do not want to walk away lightly, but will in the end want to use perhaps something that
one could call a constructive pause, said Mr. Pickering, a career diplomat whose postings
included undersecretary of state for political affairs and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Despite the White Houses threats to turn the page on negotiations, the State Department said Mr.
Kerry would stay in Lausanne at least until Thursday and hold his eighth straight day of direct
talks with his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif.
And in a sign of possible progress, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius returned to Lausanne
late Wednesday after he left earlier in the day. He said the six powers were still striving for a
concrete working understanding on Irans nuclear program.
The last meters are the most difficult, he said. We are not there yet.
In one negative sign, Abbas Araghchi, Irans deputy foreign minister and a key figure in Tehrans
negotiating team, said in comments on Iran state media that Tehran wouldnt back down on its
demand that it be allowed to continue nuclear research on its most advanced technology.
However, he also signaled the possibility of compromise on Irans demand for an immediate
cessation of sanctions and indicated it could accept a phase-in of relief. Under such procedures,
easing of noneconomic measures such as United Nations Security Council restrictions on nuclear
related materials could come after the first stages of a deal.

We insist that in the first step of the agreement, all the sanctionseconomic, financial, oil and
bankingmust all be annulled, Mr. Araghchi said. And for those sanctions that occasionally
relate to other sectors, a framework [must] be found for them, too, and their fate to be clarified
precisely.
Mr. Zarif, however, stuck to his public position that all Western pressure much be eased on Iran
for an accord to be reached.
An agreement and pressure will not go together, he told reporters.
U.S. lawmakers, including Democrats, warned the White House that Mr. Obamas strategy was
running out of time.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ken.) has said he could seek to quickly pass a bill
imposing new sanctions on Iran if a final nuclear deal isnt approved by July.
House GOP leaders also have signaled they could act in the coming weeks.
A second bill, authored by the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen.Bob
Corker (R., Tenn.), seeks to give Congress the power to approve, amend or kill any agreement.
Mr. Earnest said Mr. Obama would consult with the leaders of the other countries involved in the
negotiations to determine how to move forward with sanctions if talks collapse.
White House officials have shown a willingness to continue extending talks beyond the March
31 deadline, in part, to ensure that if negotiations fail, Iran would be to blame. Absent that,
officials fear the international sanctions regime would fall apart.
The concern that weve had was that if the United States could be blamed for the talks falling
apart, then it would be hard to preserve international unity around the implementation of
sanctions, Mr. Earnest said on Wednesday. But in this scenario, its pretty clear that weve
given Iran every opportunity to make the kinds of serious commitments that the international
community expects.

Asked about the pending sanctions legislation, the White House spokesman said: If a deal is not
reached, there are a range of options on the table, including some options that Republicans
well, that members of Congress in both parties, franklyhave sought to put on the table now.