This is a crucial week for U.S. policy toward Iran and for the prospects of reaching agreement to control Tehran’s nuclear program. The new government in Iran is reportedly offering to limit uranium enrichment and nuclear production and to permit more intrusive international inspections of its nuclear program. Let’s hope U.S. officials are wise enough to take advantage of this flexibility and will respond appropriately.
As many of us have been arguing, this is not the time to impose additional punitive sanctions on Iran. Rather, the United States should offer sanctions relief as an inducement to encourage Iranian concessions. That message is starting to take hold in Washington.
Last Friday Vice President Biden and Secretary of State Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to defer action on new sanctions against Iran. In yesterday’s New York Times chief U.S. negotiator Ambassador Wendy Sherman is quoted as saying that some sanctions could be eased as part of the negotiations with Iran. She specifically mentioned the option of “limited, temporary, reversible sanctions relief.”
Last week I said the same thing in an online article for the Christian Science Monitor. If I am being plagiarized, I’m glad for it. Take the ideas, Ambassador, and run with them. Hopefully they can help the U.S. and Iran settle the nuclear standoff.
David Cortright 
Am eager to hear your remarks tonight at Hope College. Am a friend of your former teaching assistant, Tom Arendshorst, who is urging his colleagues to attend. It was on my schedule before his reminder. Following a nonviolent path is the chief mark of whether we are true followers of Jesus, IMHO. (Rev) John Kleinheksel, FPI (Friends of Palestinians and Israelis).
Do you think that Obama administration can stand infront of the pressure of Israeli Lobby that demand to prevent any progress with Iran USA negotiation?
Dr. Noah Salameh