Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday slammed the White House for misrepresenting an interim nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers — calling a U.S. fact sheet about the deal "
a one-sided interpretation," the Fars news agency reported.
"Some of the explanations and words in the sheet contradict the text of the Joint Plan of Action, and this fact sheet has unfortunately been translated and released in the name of the Geneva agreement by certain media, which is not true," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said in Tehran.
Iran and the P5+1 nations — the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany — reached an interim deal Sunday in which Iran agreed to curb much of its nuclear activity for six months, during which time the sides will negotiate a final agreement.
In exchange, the West agreed to give Tehran some relief from sanctions that have crippled its economy. Iran's nuclear infrastructure, including its ability to enrich uranium, a key step in making bombs, remains intact.
Afkham said the White House fact sheet "modified" key details. Iran's Foreign Ministry released its own version, which the Fars news agency published in its report.
The
Washington Free Beacon reported the White House confirmed that the final details have yet to be worked out, telling the newspaper: "The P5+1 and Iran are working on what the time frame is."
The White House couldn't provide additional details Tuesday, the newspaper said.
But as the details are finalized, Iran will have the ability to continue its most controversial enrichment program, drawing criticism from proponents of tough nuclear restrictions, the Free Beacon reported.
"The six-month clock should have started early Sunday morning," said former Ambassador Mark Wallace, CEO of United Against a Nuclear Iran. "If this is a serious agreement, the P5+1 must ensure that these negotiations do not become a tool for Iran to further increase its enrichment abilities."
Christians United for Israel Executive Director David Brog said he fears the White House may have been taken advantage of by the Iranians.
"This may prove to be yet another worrisome sign that the Obama administration was played by the Iranians," he said. "Their concessions were either illusory or meaningless, while ours will resuscitate the Iranian economy."
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