Stepping Stone, Stopping Point, or Slippery Slope? Negotiating the Next Iran Deal

14 Pages Posted: 28 Jan 2014 Last revised: 25 Mar 2014

See all articles by James K. Sebenius

James K. Sebenius

HBS Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit

Date Written: March 24, 2014

Abstract

The November 2013 “interim” nuclear deal between Iran and the “P5 1” — the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany — raises challenging questions. Will the initial deal function as a stepping stone toward a more comprehensive deal? Or will it drift into becoming a stopping point that leaves Iran dangerously close to nuclear weapons capability with the sanctions regime in decline? Or will it devolve to a slippery slope that would end up requiring a painful choice for key players between either acquiescing in a nuclear-capable Iran or attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities? With the Iran and the P5 1 each splintered into contending factions, a successful stepping stone strategy requires converting enough “persuadable skeptics” on each side to forge a “winning coalition” on behalf of the a more comprehensive nuclear deal. This supportive group must be strong enough to overcome the potent “blocking coalition” that will oppose virtually any larger, next-stage agreement. The best chance for the interim accord to become a stepping stone to a more valuable deal calls for a two-prong negotiating strategy with both value-enhancing and cost-imposing elements. The first prong of this strategy should strive to craft the most valuable possible next deal that credibly offers Iran a range of benefits, not limited to sanctions relief, that are greater and much more salient than those available from the interim agreement. The second prong should significantly worsen the consequences of failing to reach the next nuclear deal by a strong public U.S. Presidential commitment to sign a bill, prenegotiated with the Congress and P5 1 allies, imposing enhanced sanctions if negotiations toward an acceptable, but relatively narrow, agreement denying Iran an “exercisable nuclear option” do not succeed by the reasonable but firm deadline no later than twelve months from the start of the interim talks.

Keywords: negotiations, Iran, nuclear, conflict resolution, winning coalition, blocking coalition

Suggested Citation

Sebenius, James K., Stepping Stone, Stopping Point, or Slippery Slope? Negotiating the Next Iran Deal (March 24, 2014). Harvard Business School NOM Unit Working Paper No. 14-061, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2386291 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2386291

James K. Sebenius (Contact Author)

HBS Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit ( email )

Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
United States
617-495-9334 (Phone)
617-496-7379 (Fax)

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