First the good news, then the reality check.

The good news is that the sight of Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Zarif shaking hands on a deal with the P5+1 states, including the US, is truly extraordinary. For all the flaws in the deal, this should not be overlooked. It is in the interests of the whole world that Iran change the way it relates to the West, and the US in particular.

The spectacle of Iran making a deal with ‘the great Satan’ may be uncomfortable for some in the US and Israel, but it will be even more uncomfortable for Iranian hardliners.

Such moments have the potential to change perceptions and open minds on all sides, and that is to be welcomed.

The other bit of good news is that thanks to French objections two weeks ago, this deal is not quite as weak as it might have been.

Now the reality check. Iran is not our friend, however smiley and polished their foreign minister is, and this deal has not solved any of the problems over Iran’s nuclear programme, much less over its regional agenda.

Read the article in full at Left Foot Forward