When the framework agreement with Iran was announced in April, Hillary Clinton said she would support a deal that “imposes an intrusive inspection program with no sites off limits.”
“So I strongly support President Obama and Secretary Kerry’s effort between now and to June to reach a final deal that verifiably cuts off all of Iran’s paths to a nuclear weapon, imposes an intrusive inspection program with no sites off limits, extends breakout time, and spells out clear and overwhelming consequences for violations.”
In supporting yesterday’s deal, Clinton reiterated that the U.S. must not let Iran “place any suspicious site off limits to inspectors.”
“At the outset, we must see the verified roll back of the Iranian nuclear program required by the agreement. We can never permit Iran to evade its obligations or to place any suspicious site off limits to inspectors.”
Although Clinton claimed that today’s deal included “the access for inspections and the transparency that was absolutely necessary,” The Wall Street Journal pointed out that “access anytime and anywhere to Iran’s nuclear site” is “unlikely.” The New York Times added that if inspectors want to visit a suspicious site, Iran will have “24 days to comply” with any request. Further, as CNN’s Wolf Blitzer noted, once Iran complies, the inspectors can only be from countries with “full diplomatic relations” with Iran, meaning the U.S. will not be able to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites.
With so much about the nuclear inspections still unclear, it is hard to see how Clinton can support the deal after requiring “intrusive” inspections without limits.