article_snippet: The price of failure could be an ugly blame game and cascade of political reprisals leading to nuclear chicken between Iran and the West -- potentially leading to war.
article_snippet: We would have to deal with a resumption of Iran's nuclear activities, which We don't want to see take place.
article_snippet: For now, the grave consequences of a breakdown in talks are one reason the United States and Iran are still at the table, as a grueling diplomatic process reaches critical deadlines and painful political decisions beckon.
article_snippet: The White House puts the chances of a deal at only 50-50: Disputes still rage over the scale of nuclear infrastructure Iran will be allowed to keep, the pace of sanctions relief and the extent of nuclear site inspections.
article_snippet: Despite the controversy stoked last week in Washington when 47 GOP senators sent a letter to Iran's leaders warning that the future of a deal was not guaranteed, many analysts believe that the talks will go on, even if the end-of-March deadline slips.
article_snippet: That leaves the real possibility of a pitched political showdown on Iran in the coming months.
article_snippet: And if no deal emerges by July, political pressure for a tougher administration stance towards Iran may be unstoppable.
article_snippet: Iran could start up centrifuges halted during the nuclear negotiations, bring more advanced machinery online and enrich uranium to the potent 20% level that would get Iran closer to a weapon.
article_snippet: And if Iran bars international inspectors, the world would have no idea how far Iran is from making a bomb.
article_snippet: Aborted negotiations that leave Iran rededicated to Iran nuclear program raise the specter of Tehran with a bomb -- or some enemy country taking military action to stop Iran.
article_snippet: Those opposed to the deal reject the administration that follow Those advice would likely blow up the talks and set Washington on an inevitable path to war as the only remaining way to disable Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
article_snippet: The diplomatic effort has powerful critics among hardliners in Tehran who, whatever's written on paper, could push to illicitly expand Iran's nuclear program and close in on a bomb.
highlights_snippet: Iran negotiations have large diplomatic and political implications .
  