When President Barack Obama addressed a field of reporters in the White House Rose Garden last Thursday as he announced the framework of a working nuclear agreement with Iran and the P5 1, he said “This has been a long time coming.”

Obama and Kerry promised there would be a full, comprehensive deal in place by June 30 after negotiations regarding the current sanctions become final and then America went about its business.

However, the Republican Congress and a good portion of Americans are constantly reminding Obama and Kerry that the success of this deal is crucial to their respective legacies, and rightfully so.

Peers of Kerry immediately criticized his actions. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called him a human-wrecking ball for agreeing to the framework, former Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) slammed Kerry on the deal and brash freshman Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) was disgusted with the concessions.

Quick explanation.

In this agreement, Iran would reduce the number of its centrifuges from around 19,000 to 6,104, thus limiting Iran’s enrichment of uranium for civil power use only. Under the plan, the amount of time it would take for Iran to produce a weapon has been extended to a little more than a year, and the limited enrichment process would be acceptable for research purposes but subject to strict and thorough inspections. And for Iran, the sanctions previously placed on its nuclear program would be lifted upon a proper go-ahead from the United Nations.

This is a massive step ahead on the embattled path of Obama’s foreign policy.

For the past six years, Obama has dealt with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the manhunt for Osama bin Laden, a stubborn China and Russia, the ascension of the Islamic State group and Iran’s nuclear program – all with little to no success. However, Obama may have turned a corner.

In his Rose Garden address, Obama reminded his audience how tireless his top diplomat, John Kerry, has been. But not everyone recognizes Kerry’s efforts, and for good reason.

Kerry has been a public figure most of his adult life, yet that public figure is known more for controversial one-liners than true political success. Including an unsuccessful presidential challenge in 2004, Kerry’s legacy has never truly been fulfilled. This Iran deal is his last shot at prominence — simply put. With failed projects such as Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and Syrian intervention, an Iran deal will make or break what the country remembers of John Kerry.

Of course, school children will memorize Obama’s name for decades to come, but, in a country marred by political gridlock, Iran may be his only formidable foreign battlefield.

No president could truly fix the discrepancies we face with Russia and Putin — only time could — and Syria and the Islamic State group are a whole different can of worms. But Iran could work, with only few hurdles to clear.

Although the timetable is short, and the risks are massive, optimism is the best option. A successful, diplomatic plan with Iran could generate prosperity in many categories for decades to come and certainly justify a positive remembrance for Obama and Kerry.

Eric Dunay is a freshman in the School of Architecture. His column appears weekly. He can be contacted at [email protected] or on Twitter @ERock_28.

Published on April 14, 2015 at 12:00 am