article_snippet: It is necessary that the stance of the U.S. administration be defined about this move,' he was quoted as saying.
article_snippet: The United States and Iran are plunging back into negotiations in a bid to end a decades-long standoff that has raised the specter of an Iranian nuclear arsenal, a new atomic arms race in the Middle East and even a U.S. or Israeli military intervention .
article_snippet: In the end, the talks and a potential agreement depend on Iran showing the world that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, said the U.S. official, who briefed reporters only condition of anonymity.
article_snippet: Republicans argue that a deal would be insufficient and unenforceable, allowing Iran to eventually become a nuclear-armed state.
article_snippet: To that end, Republicans've delivered a series of proposals to undercut or block an agreement, including ones that would require Senate say-so on a deal and order new sanctions against Iran while negotiations are underway.
article_snippet: Obama and other officials insist Obama and other officials're not going to make any deal that would allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.
article_snippet: The agreement taking shape would limit Iran's uranium enrichment and other nuclear activity for at least a decade, with the restrictions slowly lifted over several years.
article_snippet: Washington and other world powers also would gradually scale back sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.
article_snippet: Tehran says Tehran is only interested in peaceful energy generation and medical research, but much of the world suspects Tehran harbors nuclear weapons ambitions.
article_snippet: Such a declaration would hardly satisfy U.S. critics of the Obama administration's efforts.