This is the copy for the first section of the backgrounder.

(Duplicated below for test purposes)

The Iranian nuclear negotiations are divisive, especially because Iran sees the framework so differently and many feel the administration is desperate for an agreement. It must be stressed, however, that the framework is not a deal. The deadline is June 30 with talks still underway, but given that each prior deadline has been extended, this date will also likely be extended in an effort to reach a final agreement.

Domestic politics in the US may affect the outcome, as Congress wants to vote on any agreement. Because the US is leading the P5+1 effort, congressional action could change the outcome of any nuclear deal with Iran.

The next major stage in this process will happen in the coming weeks and may have profound implications for American national security and global stability.

Nuclear negotiations with Iran began in 2003 shortly after the exposure of hidden Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz and Arak. Initially, the EU-3 (France, Germany, and Britain) tried forging diplomatic resolutions to limit Tehran’s nuclear program, which is generally believed to be geared towards obtaining nuclear weapons capability, but these efforts fell apart when Iran rejected the European Union’s August 2005 proposal, which extended nuclear and other forms of cooperation in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program. The deal would have recognized Iran’s right to produce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) but not the right to enrichment that Tehran desired, particularly because of its NPT violations. [Infographic on what NPT is could be useful and how Iran has violated it]. As negotiations soured and Iran continued its illegal program, other world powers, including the United States, joined the discussion.

In 2006, the US, Russia, and China joined the EU-3 to create the P5+1, the chief entity still negotiating with Iran today. [Infographic on what P5+1 is could be useful]. The international community, led by America, used diplomatic means to convince Iran to end its nuclear program, but Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure has expanded and become more sophisticated since then. The United Nations Security Council and individual countries began increasing sanctions on Iran, demanding that it suspend enrichment activities, adhere to UN requirements, and negotiate a long-term nuclear agreement for sanctions relief. Iran resisted by continuing with its program, asserting its right to enrich. These dynamics characterized the talks until 2008 when the P5+1 began conceding on particular issues.