Iran talks could be pivotal to Obama’s legacy

With negotiators in Switzerland extending talks Wednesday for a second day past the deadline, the pressure is increasing on Obama – who has long championed diplomatic negotiations with Iran – to deliver the first installment on would be a historic agreement.

The deal underpins much of his approach to foreign policy: Even during his first presidential campaign, Obama said he’d be willing to talk with hostile regimes, such as Iran and Cuba.

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Mark Dubowitz, the executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who once supported the negotiations, said the White House has offered too much to Iran.

“The reality is it’s going to take an enormous effort to overcome the perception that the president has been too desperate for a deal,” Dubowitz said. “The biggest disaster for this president could be he gets the nuclear deal, but it supercharges Iran aggression and a Middle East nuclear proliferation cascade.”

In Switzerland, the negotiations were expected to resume Thursday morning. There was talk that instead of an official framework agreement for an official deal by June 30 there would be a joint press conference.

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