On a hot streak, Obama looks to Iran deal

Following perhaps the most momentous week of his tenure, President Obama looks to what could be another major event next month: The Iran nuclear deal.

Obama -- coming off major victories on free trade, health care, and gay marriage, as well as a much-praised eulogy on the Charleston church killings -- has set a Tuesday deadline for completion of an Iran nuclear agreement, though there are definite signs that the deadline will slip.

"Given the dates, and that we have some work to do ... the parties are planning to remain in Vienna beyond June 30 to continue working," a U.S. official told the Associated Press about the ongoing talks.

The administration is putting out the word that July 9 is the "real" deadline for a deal in which the U.S. and allies would reduce sanctions on Iran if it agrees to give up the means to make nuclear weapons.

The July 9 date would give Congress time to review the agreement before its August recess.

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Further evidence that Tuesday's deadline will slip came Sunday as Iran's foreign minister prepared to leave talks in Vienna for consultations back in Tehran.

The Obama administration enters the final stages of the Iran talks following a string of remarkable victories within the past week.

First, Congress cleared the way for a major free trade agreement with Asia, a deal that some thought dead in the water earlier in the month.

Then the Supreme Court handed down landmark decisions on items of high importance to the Obama administration, its health care law and the right of gay marriage.

The president capped the week with a moving eulogy on the Charleston church shootings, urging Americans to confront long-festering problems of gun control and racial prejudice.

Now, on to Iran -- though the proposed agreement has fierce critics in Israel and the U.S. Congress who believe it will actually pave the way for Iran to secure nuclear weapons.

It will be a busy few weeks.

From the Associated Press:

"Both sides recognize that there is leeway to extend to July 9. As part of an agreement with the U.S. Congress, lawmakers then have 30 days to review the deal before suspending congressional sanctions.

But postponement beyond that would double the congressional review period to 60 days, giving both Iranian and U.S. critics more time to work on undermining an agreement.

Arguing for more time to allow the U.S. to drive a harder bargain, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- a fierce opponent of the talks -- weighed in on Sunday against 'this bad agreement, which is becoming worse by the day.'

"'It is still not too late to go back and insist on demands that will genuinely deny Iran the ability to arm itself with nuclear weapons,' he said."