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August 11, 2015
MINNESOTA PEACE PROJECT
POSITION STATEMENT ON IRAN NUCLEAR AGREEMENT
“Perfect is the enemy of good” – Voltaire
The Minnesota Peace Project believes that the Iran Nuclear Agreement or Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiated between the United States, China,
France, Germany, Russia, The European Union (P5+1) and Iran is a significant step forward
in ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program will be exclusively peaceful and that Iran will not
seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons. We urge all Members of the Minnesota
Congressional Delegation to vote for its adoption. There are no viable alternatives.
First, the JCPOA strictly regulates uranium enrichment by Iran for at least 15 years. Among
other things Iran will cut its stockpile of enriched uranium by 97% for 15 years. All
centrifuges and related infrastructure will be monitored by the International Atomic
Energy Agency during that time.
Second, Iran must remove the core of its current nuclear reactor at Arak and redesign it so
that it cannot produce weapons-grade plutonium and not build any more heavy water
reactors for 15 years.
Significantly, the JCPOA is verifiable through the most intrusive inspections program ever
devised. International inspectors will have timely access to any perceived suspicious site
including investigation of all existing military dimensions during the next few months, IAEA
monitoring of Iran’s entire nuclear supply chain for centrifuge production facilities for 20
years and of its uranium mines for 25 years. This will be the most rigorous inspections
regime in the world.
Only following confirmation that Iran is complying with its obligations will Iran receive
relief from multilateral and national nuclear-related sanctions. The UN Security Council will
include restrictions of the sale of arms for five years and the development of ballistic
missile technology for eight years. In return the U.S. will suspend nuclear-related sanctions,
while retaining the U.S. ban on trade with Iran with limited exceptions, the UN Security
Council will terminate the provisions of previous resolutions on nuclear-related sanctions
of Iran and the EU will terminate all nuclear-related sanctions.
The JCPOA outlines a specific and detailed “reciprocal step-by-step process” under which
the U.S and European partners relieve nuclear-related sanctions only after the IAEA verifies
that Iran has completed certain steps and rolled-back existing elements of its nuclear
program.
Finally the JCPOA sets forth a detailed dispute resolution mechanism with intermediate
steps for negotiated resolution and ultimate referral to the UN Security Council requiring

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unanimous consent among the P5 to continue lifting of sanctions or all previous UN
Security Council resolutions kick back into place and all permanent members of the UN
Security Council can unilaterally decide to re-impose sanctions on Iran.
As the many knowledgeable sources below attest, while this is not a perfect agreement,
there is no better alternative despite rhetoric to the contrary. Most if not all of those
opposing the agreement oppose any agreement with Iran. And while the agreement
specifically addresses nuclear issues, the overwhelming support for it by other countries as
well as military, political and security officials in the U.S. and Israel, and the ongoing ability
to maintain and institute diplomatic measures as well as military actions if necessary,
makes it the best means forward to address ongoing issues in the Middle East beyond the
Iran nuclear issue.
There is no alternative without risk. This agreement is the best choice for managing
ongoing and future risks in Iran and the Middle East.
• Twenty-nine top U.S. physicists support the agreement
Twenty-nine U.S. physicists have signed a letter praising the technical features and
describing the agreement as “innovative” and “stringent” “more so than any other
previously negotiated nonproliferation framework.” The letter praises the technical
features of the accord and rebuts criticism of issues of verification or the secret pursuit of
nuclear weapons research. They note that the agreement bans research on nuclear
weapons, not just manufacture. (1)
• A significant number of US military, state department and security officials support
the agreement
A bipartisan group of over 50 retired military leaders, foreign policy leaders, ambassadors
and leading national security experts released a statement supporting the framework of
the agreement including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, National Security
Advisors Brent Scowcroft, Sandy Berger and Zbigniew Brzezinski, retired Admirals William
Fallon and James Stavridis, and recent Senate Committee Chairmen Dick Lugar, Carl Levin
and Nancy Kassebaum and others. (2)
• Dozens of former senior members of Israel’s defense establishment in an open
letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu dated August 3, 2015 stated their belief it is in
Israel’s best interests to support implementation of the agreement and initiate steps
toward reaching a two-state solution and establishing a moderate Sunni-western
axis to combat extremist forces
The letter was signed by former Shin Bet chiefs Amy Ayalon and Carmi Gillon, former MK
Roman Bronfman, former Police Chief Assaf Heffetz and fifty others. (3)
“There is no ideal world, and there are no ideal agreements… [The Iran Nuclear
Agreement] is “the best possible alternative from Israel’s point of view, given the other
available alternatives.” Amy Ayalon, former Shin Bet Director, telephone interview with J.J.
Goldberg. (4)

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• Most Jewish Americans support the Iran nuclear agreement (5)(6)
• Gulf Arab states support the Iran nuclear agreement
The Gulf Cooperation Council, consisting of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates,
Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, has publicly supported the Agreement. (7)
• India and over 90 nations support the Iran nuclear agreement (8)
End Notes
(1) The New York Times, August 9, 2015; Star Tribune, August 9, 2015
(2) http://www.hufffingtonpost.com/joe-circincione/bipartisan-group-of-
over_b_7012994.html
(3) http://www.haaretz.com(August 4, 2015)
(4) http://forward.com/opinion/312158/this-man-explains-why-iran-deal-is-good-for-
israel/#xzz3hxXmBmvy
(5) http://forward.com/news/breaking-news/31823/polls-showing-jewish-support-for-iran-
deal-more-credible/#ixzz3hxqqiz9N
(6) http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the/fix/wp/2015/07/27/jewish-americans-
support-the-iran-nuclear-deal/
(7) http://www.wsj.com/articles/gulf-arab-states-voice-support-for-iran-nuclear-deal-
1438618887
(8) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/White-House-cites-indias-support-to sell-
Iran-nuclear-deal/articleshow/48294847.cms
Other Sources
“9 Reasons to Support the Iran Deal”,Graham Allison, TheAtlantic, August 4, 2015
“The Real Test of the Iran Deal”, James Fallows, TheAtlantic, July 28, 2015
J Street website contains comprehensive current information, including lists and bios of leading
Israeli figures in security, politics and past governments who support the Iran Nuclear Agreement
and extensive background information and resources. http://www.irandealfacts.org