Notations From the Grid (Week-End Edition): On #Turkey, #Daesh/#IS & The Reality on the Ground

Turkey joined the fight against Daesh-but at the same time also broke a unilateral ceasefire with the Kurds.   As we have been assessing the "ground game", we also ran across this that we found very compelling to share as this notation of "Notations" For the Weekend:

‘Desperate times call for desperate measures’ is what that arguably best describes what AKP and Erdogan are doing right...
Posted by Kamran Matin on Saturday, July 25, 2015

In addition, this On the Iran Question is quite profound as well that our founder ran across which our team thought was quite compelling:

On the perilous #Vote4Peace quest: The One Question Nobody’s Asking About the Iran Deal http://t.co/Z5DrURsolB

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) July 26, 2015

It underscores the perilous nature of the debate right now as the debate continues onward.   It was interesting how this by Zenos Frudakis which is front of the Glaxo Smithkline Headquarters is appropriate becuase it also depicts the possibilities.    As we went to press here this weekend, the debate was interesting at times as we continue to assess the State of the World here and now: 

The Friday Musical Interlude: A Tribute to the BBC

For this edition of the Friday Musical Interlude, our team chose the BBC News opening theme as a tribute to the fabulous work they do in bringing the World to us.    We value the BBC's contribution and will be sharing thoughts in the "Visions" Channel over the course of the ensuing days especially as the UK Government begins its' review of the BBC Royal Charter:

Notations On Our World: On the #IranDeal (An #Outsider Newsflash For the Day)

The US Secretary of State, The US Secretary of Energy and the US Secretary of the Treasury are testifying before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.    The Republicans are expressing their reservations in their profound way.  As we went to press here, Senator Rubio of Florida is speaking about the profound reservations he has on the deal reminding the World about how the next US President will be under no obligation to abide by the deal after 2017.  

Secretary Kerry is noting that the Bush Administration Memorandum with the P5+1 was followed by the Obama Administration--including working with Iran.   He noted that if anyone thinks that the Iranian Leadership will come back to negotiate is a fantasy.

Notations On Our World: On the #IranDeal (The Latest From the Grid) w/a "newsflash" From #Burundi

The Public Relations Battle on the Iran deal is gathering steam.   As we went to press here, The Secretary of State was on Capitol Hill making the rounds as Congress gears up for the 60-Day Review Process.   Iran's Majlis has formed a special committee that will report out on it within 80 Days after the submission.

In our "daily roundup", we wanted to report on this published on +Al Jazeera English that is quite perceptive in laying out the arguments and the challenges ahead:

On the perilous #Vote4Peace quest, this very perceptive analysis from Prof. @HamidDabashi a must read on #IranDeal: http://t.co/LqNNyAeU5V

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) July 22, 2015

A clear indication is what the view of the US House Speaker as  President Obama  also joined The Daily show w/Jon Stewart to discuss the Iran Deal (and of course have some fun as well): 

On the #Vote4Peace quest: U.S. House Speaker #Boehner: House will do 'everything possible' 2 block #Iran nuclear deal http://t.co/doO87OuUfT

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) July 22, 2015

As we went to press, though, we wanted to end with a potentially hopeful development.   We are gratified to report, though, on a hopeful development in Burundi.     It appears that all parties are open to the idea of a National Unity Government.  We will continue to monitor over the ensuing days.

Notations From the Grid: On #Earth; #IranDeal & Other Thoughts (with updated Thoughts on the Tragedy in #Turkey)

Our home base of Southern California has been experiencing a lot of rain.    As we went to press, humidity is at 91% and it is overcast.  It is beautiful, though.  Whether the rains as a result of El Nino will help alleviate the long-running drought remains to be seen. 

It has also been quite a challenging few hours.    We have been assessing the impact of the Toshiba scandal out of Japan as we have also been monitoring earnings that are coming in.    IBM has announced along with United Technologies and it is impacting markets as we speak.   We have also been assessing the situation in Burundi as the current President is going for a third term in the midst of violence as our team has been working on the series, "Crying For Africa".       The US Political Scene has also been quite vibrant as Mr. Trump continues to dominate the current headlines and Polls.

We have also been following the tragedy in Turkey as the victims of the attackyesterday are being buried.    32 young students lost their lives as a result of the attack.  Our team has been on the "Grid" and saw this taken moments before the blast:

 

These beautiful young souls were part of a contingent of volunteers that were gearing up to support the rebuilding of Kobane.   This was taken moments before the blast that cut their lives short.  We mourn them today.

We have also been continuing to assess the post-Iran Deal as the Defense Secretary has been making the rounds in the Middle East--having met the Israeli Prime Minister earlier today.  Our team released the remarks of the Israeli Prime Minister made after the UNSC passed the resolution endorsing the Iran Nuclear deal in its' entirety.    The Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Zarif, spoke at the Iranian Majlis and the text of his remarks is noted here (Original in Farsi--also available in English).    We have also reviewed reports of flash floods in Iran that caused buildings to collapse in the City of Qazvin due to the river overflow.  The scenes as reported by the BBC was horrific.

Our team ran across this that the Scott Kelly sent out from the International Space Station and was in awe.    This is as our team was reviewing this published to Slate about the latest warning on Climate Change.    We could not help but wonder why we cannot embrace this beauty and work together ever so closely and wondered if the courage actually exists to do so: 

#DSCVR today's new image of #Earth. What made the Blue Marble so special? http://t.co/JIjXTxak2J #EarthRightNow pic.twitter.com/iz9CPloUxu

— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) July 20, 2015

Notations On Our World (Special Edition II): On the #Vote4Peace Quest//#Israel reacts to the #UNSC resolution on #Iran

We wanted to report on the reaction from Israel as the Security Council adopted the resolution triggering the 90-Day rescission of sanctions against Iran as reported by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 

PM Netanyahu on UNSC endorsement of Iranian accord

The UN Security Council has given its approval to a country that has systematically violated the UNSC's decisions and which calls for the destruction of Israel, a member of the UN. The hypocrisy knows no bounds.

(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: GPO

Following is an excerpt from remarks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made today (Monday, 20 July 2015), at the Knesset:

"On the day on which the ruler of Iran has reiterated his intention to destroy the State of Israel, the UN Security Council is giving its approval to that same country, which has systematically violated the UNSC's decisions and which calls for the destruction of Israel, a member of the UN. The hypocrisy knows no bounds. The best way to fight this hypocrisy is to tell the truth in a strong and unified manner. Here is the truth:

They say that this agreement makes war more distant. This is not true; this agreement brings war closer. First, because Iran will receive hundreds of billions of dollars and it is already openly declaring that it will use this money to finance and arm its terrorist movements and its aggression in the region and around the world. Second, there will be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

They also say that a UN decision is the end of the story. This is not true, because as long as US Congressional sanctions are in place – and I remind you that the American economy is 40 times as large as the Iranian economy – Iran will be compelled in the end to make concessions, and not just receive them.

They say that 'It cannot be that the whole world is wrong' and from this they conclude that the agreement is good; this is not true. First, the entire world is not wrong and many in the Middle East see eye-to-eye with Israel and concur that this agreement is dangerous, dangerous to them, dangerous to the region and dangerous to the world. Second, history has already proven that when the world is united it is not necessarily right. Just a few years ago there was broad international agreement on a nuclear agreement with North Korea and today North Korea has approximately a dozen nuclear bombs and it is on the way to attaining many more. This truth must be said loud and clear because the truth serves the interests of Israel."

Notations on Our World (Special Edition) : On the #Vote4Peace Quest//From the UN News Centre - #UNSC adopts resolution endorsing Iran nuclear deal

Our Team has been "Virtually Breathless" today as it has been assessing a good day in Our World.  Today was the day that all members of the UN Security Council endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that is slated to come into effect in 90 Days.   This is as the debate in the United States continues to be heated over this as noted in the fierce debate that raged on the US Public Affairs by leading political figures in the United States. 

It is of note, though, that a speech by the Iranian Supreme Leader (Guide), Ayatollah Khameini, underscored no marked change in Iran Policy beyond the nuclear question.   The reality on the ground will dictate otherwise--as has been noted in Iraq and to a lesser extent, Afghanistan.    

The full update from the UN is available by visiting the UN Website here at :  

United Nations News Centre - Security Council adopts resolution endorsing Iran nuclear deal

As we went to press, we just received word that the French Foreign Minister will visit Iran next week. We view it as a major development.

Notations On our World: On a Historic Day in #Washington & #Havana

Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov

This letter from President Obama formalized the new "normal" after the announcements by Raul Castro and Barack Obama.  Today was a historic day as The United States and Cuba re-established Diplomatic Relations.  It is a milestone that continues the interesting transformation in US Foreign Policy that Barack Obama has tried to undertake during his Presidency.     Our team was following the developments closely throughout the day as the Cuban Foreign Minister led the celebrations that rose up the Cuban Flag:

Source; http://www.reuters.com

The last time the Cuban Flag was raised was in 1958.   In our research, we also realized that the Cuban Embassy was actually built in 1917 and is now officially an Embassy as reflected in the update on the Cuban Embassy Website: http://www.cubadiplomatica.cu/sicw/EN/ConsularServices.aspx.  John Kerry, the Secretary of State, will formally travel to Cuba next month to formally inaugurate the New Embassy even though the Embassy is now officially in operation.     

The Cuban Foreign Minister lobbied for some long-standing contentious issues including the fate of Guantanamo and the lifting of sanctions.     There is not much that is going to be possible with the current Republican-Dominated Congress.    It is also highly unlikely that an Ambassador will be confirmed by the United States Senate due to the charged political atmosphere.   Two of the declared US Presidential Candidates, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, have roundly condemned this move.    They are Cuban-Americans.

It was once again exciting here @ #Outsiders to once again be witness to history.

Notations For the Week-End: On #IranTalks, the Perilous #Vote4Peace & the Latest From the Middle East

The Economist's KAL "chimed" in on the new Agreement this week.   Beyond "KAL", though, The fast and furious debate on the Iran Deal continues throughout the US Political Scene. 

 Most Republican Presidential Candidates have come out in strong opposition to the deal--vowing to rescind the deal on day 1.    In contrast, Jeb Bush noted that he would not rescind it because he noted that he will not have his National Security Team in place and he had to make an assessment before making any decisions.   He also, interestingly enough, did not criticize the President for negotiating with Iran--he said he would have negotiated harder.   

Beyond the US Political Scene (which is vibrant especially after Donald Trump's latest tirade regarding Senator McCain which we hope to release a "Notation" soon), there is also the opposition that is spearheaded by +AIPAC (The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee): 

The perilous #Vote4Peace road latest minefield 😨😥 https://t.co/6rRkVBEjov

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) July 18, 2015

They have a budget of $ 20 Million to initiate a campaign against the deal.   This is as +J Street has also begun a targeted multi-million campaign as well.      Our team continued to assess the JINSA view that was outlined in their conference call on Friday July 17 led by their CEO and chief analyst.   The JINSA CEO had also released an editorial that was published on +The Weekly Standard , the publication led by Bill Kristol that has been at the forefront of opposition to the policies of the Obama Adminstration.     What was underscored consistently by the JINSA team was how the deal was the "Biggest Mistakes for US National Security" and a "Huge Blunder" with Surprises that came out.  The technical analysis was somewhat positive in addressing the 4 Pathways to a Bomb but were also not enthusiastic about the milestones and used the "false dichotomy " in addressing the roadmap for sanctions to be relieved.

The JINSA team went on to discuss Iran's assets.    They were  quite taken aback by the $ 140 Billion in windfall Iran will receive within 6 Months.  What was not made clear that the $ 140 Billion is Iran's Money.    They also noted that Iran's Ballistic Missile Capability was not addressed and how It was in Iran's DNA to cheat.    What was also quite interesting was how they were dismissive of the Administration View and was looking for a long-term strategy--looking for a Republican President that  would rescind the deal.   When the "God Father" analogy was cited during this briefing, it underscored how dismissive they truly were--this is as the same debate is continuing in Tehran.   The Iranian Supreme Leader (Supreme Guide), Ayatollah Khameini, spoke on the occasion of Eid and reiterated his support and call for full Unity--while underscoring his deep mistrust of the United States.    

As the #Vote4Peace march is continuing worldwide, this published by the Heritage Foundation's "Daily Signal" was also quite notable:  

Obama Doubles Down on Using UN to Undermine Congress

Commentary: This deliberate effort by the president to gut the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act is disgraceful.

Read More

The word  "disgraceful" explains the entire view by the entire Conservative Establishment.     As we've noted in our Notations on this, the UN is slated to vote on this Monday and all indications are that it will pass.  This is as The Economist Reminded The World This Week that it is better than the alternative in this cover:

As this debate enuses, Iraq and Syria continue to burn.   As we went to "press", we received shocking news from another bombing in Iraq during Eid Celebrations that resulted in 120 People having lost their lives.    Algeria saw an Army Convoy ambushed with 11 soldiers killed.   Egypt saw terrorists who claim to be  Islamists attack Army Posts yet again.    Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a major security crackdown in the aftermath of the car bomb in Riyadh--the Capital.    It announced 451 People have been arrested...

Truly Challenging Times....

The Friday Musical Interlude: Keiko Matsui Live in Tokyo

As another weekend dawns here in #Outsiders, our team chose this from Keiko Matsui which we hope all enjoy as we wish all the most beautiful of Week-Ends: 

Notations On Our World: On the #IranDeal & the #Vote4Peace Quest (Late Breaking Notations)

Our team earlier today joined the JINSA Briefing on Iran.    The team @ JINSA provided both a technical and a political analysis of the deal and their assessment of it--which they advised is some 159 pages in length and quite complicated.      This is as we have also seen guidance from +NIAC on its' view of the Iran Deal as noted below which is available by clicking here:

  

We have also been assessing the view from the team at the +Bipartisan Policy Center as they have also shared a line by line analysis that could be accessed by clicking here.   Beyond this, there is Congress itself--as a resolution has been introduced in the House of Representatives co-sponsored by all but 8 Republicans designed to torpedo the deal.

It will be a fascinating 60 Days to be witness to in the United States as the World is also moving fast to take advantage of the Window.    It will begin Monday with a UN Security Council Resolution to begin dismantling all UN-Mandated resolutions against Iran-which has caused profound concerns in conservative circles as epitomized by this from the Heritage Foundation.     

It will a  fascinating 60-Days to be witness to.....

Notations on Our World: On the #IranDeal & the Perilous #Vote4Peace Quest (The View From #Israel)

The debate about the Iran Nuclear Deal is continuing in a major way.   President Obama held a wide ranging news conference that took on all the criticis in a very intersting way.  This is as the opposition continues its' concerted campaign.    The president has challenged the opposition to explain themselves which will be interesting to observe. 

 As we went to press with this edition of "Notations", US Vice President Biden was on Capitol Hill meeting with Democratic Lawmakers.   The reporting from +Haaretz הארץ today that we received is telling as the hard work to sustain the deal is at hand:   

Daily News Israel influenced much of Iran nuke deal, Sherman says Chief U.S. negotiator tells reporters that Israeli and American experts consulted with each other over the past year. Senior defense official: European firms 'standing in line' to resume trade with Iran  The Iranian economy can expect to be bolstered by tens of billions of dollars, which will help terrorists and subversive groups, senior official says. Israeli army planning larger Gaza fence Illicit border crossing inevitable, officer says, adds soldiers behaved correctly when Israeli missing in Gaza crossed border. Five reasons to worry about the Iran deal Experience reveals a yawning gap between the way the United States and Europe understand the Middle East and the way the Middle East understands itself, Ari Shavit writes. After Iran deal, time for U.S. to pamper Saudi Arabia Since it's too rich to require military aid, Riyadh could demand diplomatic compensation – such as a concerted American effort to resolve the Palestinian question. Netanyahu's next gamble may be disastrous After the deal was announced, the prime minister's appearance was that of a desperate gambler who had lost everything. But now he wants to wreck what’s left of U.S.-Israel relations. Summer dreams. Made to measure Enjoy these deliciously fresh dairy recipes that your family will love advertisement There was never going to be a good deal with Iran The Vienna accord is flawed in many ways, but it will compel Iran to take steps that are hard to imagine it would take under any other scenario. Face it: U.S. and Israel don't have the same interests For Netanyahu, enemy number 1 is Iran; for Obama it's ISIS, Peter Beinart writes. Obama names foes: 'Netanyahu and Republican leadership' In White House press conference on Iran, the president shows sympathy for Israel, scorn for its prime minister. Why China won't be the next great power The idea that the Beijing is destined to be the world’s No. 1 super-power is premature to say the least, and Israel should be careful not to bank so much on it

Notations On Our World: On the #IranDeal & the #Vote4Peace Quest (An Update)

World Media has been focused on the Iran Deal.   It has headlined all the major US-Based Cable Talk shows along with outlets like the BBC and Al Jazeera.     Opponents are coming out in droves with their reservations led by the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.   The Speaker of the US House of Representatives noted that "the deal is unacceptable".       This is as the Social Media Grid has also been quite "abuzz" with debate on both the pro and the con side of the debate.

The reaction in Iran has been one of jubilation, though:

 People hit the streets to celebrate the achievements as leading political figures including the Supreme Leader (Guide) in heaping praise on the Negotiating team during a meeting he had with the Government.      The Majlis (Parliament) Speaker, Mr. Larijani also congratulated the Iranian Nation and Foreign Minister Zarif on this achievement during comments he made while on a visit to his own Constituency in Qum .       The Foreign Minister and his team were also greeted as heroes when they went to Mashad to visit the Imam Reza Masouleum:

It is also of note as some have compared the Foreign Minister to another giant of Iranian History, Amir Kabir who served as Prime Minister during the reign of Naser Din Shah and this underscores it:

What needs to be underscored is that the sanctions will not be lifted tomorrow.    The European Union just renewed the sanctions for another 6 months as the debate in the Untied States begins--however the UN sanctions should be lifted soon based on the debrief in Vienna as the perilous #Vote4Peace Journey begins.

As we went to press, we also wanted to make sure we noted this from the ever perceptive Americas Editor for +Haaretz הארץ which laid out some hard truths that Israel Faces that our founder shared on his Personal Twitter Feed on this very interesting day: 

As the quest #Vote4Peace continues @ChemiShalev ever so perceptive 😁🎉💥 views https://t.co/t8WTb1GWR4

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) July 14, 2015

Quite a Day Indeed... 

Notations On Our World (Special Edition): There is a deal on #IranTalks (with updated notations on News Conference & Presidential Statements)

There is a deal!!!

The World Powers and Iran have agreed on a deal on Iran's Nuclear Program.     It has been a long, arduous road for all for sure.  The possibilities are limitless though for all.   

For the World, it represents an opportunity to open up the World largest emerging Market of 80 Million Customers with 50% of them being under the age of 35.    It means access to about $ 100 Billion worth of frozen assets.    More importantly, it represents a major milestone in that a major challenge for World Peace has been mitigated without a shot being fired.  Key points of the agreement are noted here as reported by Iran's Fars News Agency.  

Based on what has been reported so far, it is a 100-Page Document outlining key milestones that have to be achieved.  The Israeli Prime Minister has already weighed in about how historic a mistake the agreement is.   +i24news EN  just noted comments by Israeli Opposition Leader  Herzog  that, "...Israel's Interest were abandoned because of Netanyahu's personal rift with President Obama..."    Israel has already said it will exhaust every effort to scuttle the deal.   This is as @Haaretz is just reporting that Israel has received an official copy of the agreement.   Arab Media, though, have been "disappointed" as a Saudi Official came out and said that it may be detrimental to the Region. 

Opposition in the US will be fierce as the 60-Day Timeline called for in the law enacted by Congress is triggered.    Millions have already been spent by groups such as SecureAmerica and other groups in opposition.   But there is also quite a coalition for the agreement as well--including @NIAC and its ' sister organization, NIAC-Action, +J Street , The Presbyterian Church and others.     Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton who spreaheaded the infamous letter was on a number of talk shows with his views opposing the deal as The Chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee came out with a sense of "Deep Scepticism" on the question as the debate cycle begins in the US. 

This agreement is also bound to be a challenge for President Rouhani in Iran as well due to profound Conservative Opposition--although the Political Establishment is behind the agreement as epitomized by snipets on the Islamic Republic News Network noting how the Iranian Nation was behind the agreement.   IRNA, Iran's Official News Agency, is also reporting that Iran's Chief Scientist, Dr Salehi, has said that none of the red lines have been crossed.     


The Vienna News concluded  as both the +European Commission Foreign Policy Chief and the Iranian Foreign Minister are making their statements on this question.    The Agreement will be available later on as the agreement will be presented to the UN Security Council for the lifting of all UN sanctions.   President Obama has also begun his statement on this from the White House with Vice President Biden at his side.   He reitrated his vow to veto any attempt to scuttle the deal.   President Rouhani is right now speaking in Tehran on this major development as his official Twitter Account advised the World to be ready:

Will be addressing the nation shortly re #IranDeal pic.twitter.com/HZMFiJdZwc

— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) July 14, 2015

Witness to history....

An #Outsider W-End Newsflash: On the OPM Hack//OPM.gov

It has been a tough week for Government as hackers got a hold of over 21 Million Social Security Numbers.   Although the Director has resigned, profound challenges remain ever more.   It was quite ironic how the Government had noted at one time it was spending $ 20 Million to notify those affected and it was even worst that initially feared.    The latest from the Government is available by going here: OPM.gov



It is a developing story.

Notations For the Week-End: On #IranTalks :-)

We have been on the "prowl" as we see the latest going on.     This which was making the rounds "on the Grid" is striking--one cannot help but wonder if the work is done!! :-)

Wow! such a comprehensive agreement, who would translate that!? #IranTalks #Iran pic.twitter.com/9N2ToB0jg0

— Sadegh Ghorbani (@GhorbaniSadegh) July 11, 2015

Glad to see Dr. Zarif Smiling--although the latest official news channels from Iran are surprisingly silent.   It will be an interesting few days for sure.

Notations From the Grid: An Admonition To Remember

As the week-end dawns, our founder passed on this he had on his personal twitter feed which he allowed us to note here--An admonition to remember:

Not forgetting 🙏Great #inspirationalquote from the @Simple_Truths Sunrise Inspiration app: http://t.co/hlQOIXVEbJ pic.twitter.com/s42hQJ40JQ

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) July 6, 2015

The Friday Musical Interlude: Wake Up Everybody!!

It is again Friday here in #Outsiders and time for another edition of the Friday Musical Interlude on the dawn of #Outsiders Week-End.  For this edition, our team settled on this which we hope all enjoy:

Notations On Our World: On #Iran, the Middle East & #Greece

Our team has been assessing the state of Negotiations So far in Vienna.   From all the reports we have reviewed so far, it appears that they will not finalize a deal by midnight Washington, D.C. Time which in turn will trigger the 60-Day Review Cycle.    As We went to press with our latest edition of "notations" here in #Outsiders, the official word from the White House was the same as well--although all parties seem to be optimistic.  The Russian Foreign Minister is not there because he is at the BRICS Summit that is also being attended by the Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani.

Beyond the immediate in Iran, we received distressing news about the death of former Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud.   He was the long-standing Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia who was in declining health for years.    One of his thoughts our team was quite fond of was this as the Iraq war raged on--If this is Democracy, we don't want it.    He was also instrumental in stopping the carnage in Lebanon during 2006--as soon as he landed in Washington, somehow Israel stopped its' aggression in Lebanon and an uneasy truce has persisted ever since.    Although the reality of the Middle East has changed drastically with IS/Daesh, the civil war in Syria and the civil war in Egypt (and we here at outsiders are prepared to call it a civil war).

The tragedy in Greece is also ever so in our minds.    There was just a report on @Al Jazeera within the past hour about basic necessities in Short Supplies.   This is as Greece has promised new proposals because the EU has given the Greeks a final deadline.   The @Economist depicted the drama in ever so dramatic a terms as only the Economist can:

An #Outsider Newsflash: On the Latest on the #IranTalks

Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif at an Islamic Center in Vienna

 (Source ISNA//Radio Zamaneh)

Today was the deadline to come to an agreement on the Iran Nuclear Deal.  The deadline has been extended again.     The Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Zarif noted at remarks when he appeared at a Religious Ceremony at an Islamic Center in Vienna late Sunday  that differnces continue to linger on and that prayers were needed by all.     

According to +i24news EN , The Russian Foreign Minister has said that 8 issues remain.    It does appear quite a number of issues have been resolved.     Our team has been reviewing all sorts of developments attributed to anonymous sources.    Not withstanding the "lowering of expectations" that has been the order of the day, the real work to "sell" the argument will begin the day after with major opposition from the Israeli Lobby  in the United States.