Obama: US Could Still ‘Walk Away’ From Nuclear Deal With Iran

President Barack Obama said that while progress in nuclear talks with Iran has been made, gaps in the negotiating positions remain.

Obama said “unprecedented transparency” and verification will be required for a deal. He added that if Tehran is not willing to accept such constraints, the U.S. and its negotiating partners would “walk away.”

In a pre-recorded interview aired Sunday on U.S. television, Obama said Iran has negotiated seriously because of what he called some of the toughest sanctions ever put in place.

"We have made progress in narrowing the gaps, but those gaps still exist. And, I would say, over the next month or so, we’re going to be able to determine whether or not their system is able to accept what would be an extraordinarily reasonable deal if, in fact, as they say they are only interested in peaceful nuclear programs," the president said.

Verification system

"If we have unprecedented transparency in that system, if we are able to verify that, in fact, they are not developing weapons systems, then there is a deal to be had. But that’s going to require them to accept the kind of verification and restraints on their program that, so far, at least, they have not been willing to say yes to," Obama said.

Snce an interim agreement was reached in November 2013, Iran has abided by its terms, he said, adding Tehran has not advanced its nuclear program and has rolled back its 20 percent highly enriched uranium development.

At the same time, Obama said, the international community has had unprecedented access into what the Iranians are doing. But, he said if there is no agreement, the U.S. and its other P5+1 negotiating partners are prepared to walk away.

"If we cannot verify that they’re not going to obtain a nuclear weapon, but there’s a breakout period so that, even if they cheated, we would have enough time to take action, if we don’t have that kind of a deal, then we’re not going to take it," Obama said.

The P5+1 partners and Iran hope to reach a “framework agreement” by month’s end with a comprehensive agreement reached by another self-imposed deadline of June 30.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to meet his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, for the next round of talks March 15. (VOA)