On Iran, Congress Should Heed the Lessons of Helsinki

Historical Examples - In 1975 President Gerald Ford was warned by some in Congress against traveling to Helsinki to sign a historic accord aimed at defusing tensions with the Soviet Union. Congress strongly opposed the deal which they saw as a “one-sided agreement” favoring the Soviets. “Despite the opposition, Mr. Ford defied lawmakers and flew to Helsinki, where he signed onto the Helsinki Final Act.”

--“As Congress seeks to interject itself once more into delicate international negotiations” — this time, with bills’ requiring Congressional approval of a deal on Iran’s nuclear program — “it is useful to consider how our world would be different had Mr. Ford” allowed Congress to have their way and “refused to pursue an agreement with the Soviet Union.” Full story by Tyler Cullis in the New York Times http://nyti.ms/1MrOH9l

Counterproductive - “Republicans in the Senate may believe they were doing the U.S. a favor by issuing their warning to Ayatollah Khamenei, but advocates of crushing sanctions against Iran might just have undermined their own cause,” writes Jeffrey Goldberg in The Atlantic. “If America's partners—particularly those in Asia—come to believe that it was the U.S., rather than the Iranian leadership, that subverted the talks, the cause of invigorated sanctions will be damaged, possibly grievously.”

--“It is not in the best interest of the United States to provide Iran any excuses to walk away from the table… These talks give the West the best, and least bloody, opportunity possible to keep the Iranian regime far from the nuclear threshold,” but Republicans seem intent on giving Iran the perfect excuse to restart their nuclear program at full capacity. Full story here. http://theatln.tc/1C53OWD

Hillary - Speaking at the UN on Tuesday Hillary Clinton told reporters that the decision by Republican Senators to pen an open letter to Iran’s leadership was "out of step with the best traditions of American leadership.” “Either these senators were trying to be helpful to the Iranians or harmful to the commander-in-chief in the midst of high-stakes international diplomacy. Either answer does discredit to the letter's signatories.” Coverage in CNN. http://cnn.it/1B4xhsw

Political Malfeasance, at a Glance - A summary of stories related to the GOP’s latest attack on the Iran talks, courtesy of Rethink Media. http://bit.ly/1Ajcth5

Bad idea - Reacting to the open letter Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif told reporters that “this kind of letter is unprecedented and undiplomatic. In truth, it told us that we cannot trust the United States.” Until now, negotiators on both sides “have consistently said that the nuclear talks have been conducted in a good and serious atmosphere.” AFP has the story. http://yhoo.it/1MrGaTF

Dissenters - Seven Senate Republicans did not sign a letter to Iran warning about a nuclear deal with the Obama administration. A sample of their reactions to the letter:

--Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ): “Negotiations are tough enough here and I didn't think it was appropriate to add another element that makes it more difficult… [I] think that we ought to support negotiations that are going on.” Sen. Flake also noted that the Republican letter could be harmful to relations with U.S. allies saying, “I'm more concerned not with how Iran receives it, but with how our allies receive it. These sanctions have been effective and Iran is at the table because these sanctions have been multilateral… and I think it's extremely important to maintain that coalition.” http://n.pr/1C6NWmx

--Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN): “I did not think that the letter was something that was going to help get us to an outcome that we’re all seeking, and that is Congress playing that appropriate role.” http://thebea.st/1FIhhAZ

--Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): “It’s more appropriate for members of the Senate to give advice to the president, to Secretary Kerry and to the negotiators... I don’t think that the ayatollah is going to be particularly convinced by a letter from members of the Senate.” http://politi.co/1Gn8hRO

Petition - A petition to the White House calling for the 47 letter signers to be prosecuted for treason for negotiating with a foreign government in attempting to undermine the nuclear agreement has over 140,000 signatures. http://1.usa.gov/1wmtCL6

Unfinished business - Although much work has been done to secure global nuclear stockpiles and reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, approximately 1,875 tons of nuclear explosive materials remains, writes Douglas Birch for The Center for Public Integrity. Anxious U.S officials have been trying to better secure these materials for years, “with mixed results.” Read the full story here. http://bit.ly/1FLz5eD

Tweet - @PSRsecurity: @Cirincione New PSR Comic: #Nuclear weapons don't address the 21st Century threats we face today. http://bit.ly/1wXUOAK

Players - When discussing the nuclear negotiations with Iran, one question that often comes to mind is “who are we actually dealing with?” There are many important actors in Iranian politics, but one that is perhaps the most perplexing is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC.

--In the West, the IRGC is synonymous with anti-Americanism and undermining US influence and interests, either directly or through proxies in the Middle East. “But what is the IRGC, really, and where does it stand on the ongoing negotiations?” This question and others are tackled by Ariane Tabatabai in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. http://bit.ly/1E5O28N

Tweet - @CarnegieEndow: Watch @IskanderRehman discuss the challenges being created by #India and #Pakistan’s naval nuclear developments: https://t.co/yupetXg1jw

Quick Hits:

--“Russia says has right to deploy nuclear weapons in Crimea.” Story in Reuters. http://reut.rs/1EzvDqf

--“Saudi Arabia Prepares for Iranian Nuclear Deal,” by Bruce Riedel for Al-Monitor. http://bit.ly/1EbLzwg

Events:

--“A New Approach to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle.” Featuring John Hamre, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); Joan Rohlfing, Nuclear Threat Initiative; Andrew Newman, Nuclear Threat Initiative; Everett Redmond, Nuclear Energy Institute; and Sharon Squassoni, CSIS. March 12 from 9:00-10:30 AM. Located at CSIS, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP by email at PPP@CSIS.org

--“A Nuclear Deal, Iran’s Regional Role and U.S. Relations with the Persian Gulf.” Featuring Richard LeBaron, former Ambassador to Kuwait; Alireza Nader, RAND; and Ilan Goldenberg, Center for a New American Security. March 16 at 2:00 PM. Located at the Atlantic Council, 12th Floor, 1030 15th St. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP online. http://bit.ly/1MFH1mO

--“Managing and Reducing 21st Century Nuclear Security Threats.” Featuring Duyeon Kim, Carnegie Endowment; former Sen. Sam Nunn (GA), Nuclear Security Initiative; former Sen. Richard Lugar (IN), Lugar Center; Desmond Browne, former U.K. Defense Minister; and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (NE). March 16 from 6:00-8:30 PM. Located at Georgetown University, Bunn Intercultural Center, 37th St. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP by March 12 online. http://bit.ly/1wJFnM8

--Senate Armed Services Committee, hearing on “Postures of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force.” With Gen. Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army; Mark Welsh, Chief of Staff, Air Force; Deborah Lee James, Air Force Secretary; and John McHugh, Army Secretary. March 18 at 2:30 PM. Located in room SD-106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. Webcast on the committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1AjlKFQ

--Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, hearing on the Energy Department budget. With Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. March 18, time TBA, Room TBA, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington. Webcast on the committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1itSTpx