Cautious optimism is the best way to describe the reaction of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to the agreement with Iran.
Durbin says talks to temporarily halt Iran’s nuclear program had been ongoing for months. He says he supports the deal, which will lift certain economic sanctions for six months in exchange for allowing nuclear inspectors to be sent in and decommissioning certain stockpiles of uranium. But Durbin isn’t ready to trust the Iranian government yet.
“Let’s go forward with the negotiation with our eyes wide open,” Durbin said, “but with inspectors on the ground we’ll be able to tell whether they’re in fact doing what they say they’re going to do.
Other members of the Senate are calling for legislation that would impose new sanctions on Iran if a more comprehensive agreement isn’t reached within that six month period.
