Ex-Obama official predicts Harris will seek new Iran nuclear deal: 'Has to be the goal'

A Middle East policy expert who helped get the Iran nuclear deal signed into law is anticipating that Vice President Kamala Harris would seek a similar agreement with Tehran if she wins the White House.

"The idea that the old nuclear deal can just be restarted, we're past that. Iran's progress on its nuclear program has exceeded the previous limitations… a firm, verifiable nuclear deal that corrals and runs the ability to accelerate the nuclear weapon, that has to be the goal," said Joel Rubin, a Democratic strategist and former Obama administration deputy assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs to the House.

"The best way to do that is a nuclear agreement that's firm and verified… Any realistic president would go for that. And that’s Kamala Harris, she's a realistic president-to-be."

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The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed in 2015 by Iran, members of the United Nations National Security Council, and the European Union.

Republicans and some moderate Democrats opposed the agreement, arguing it was too weak to successfully restrain the Islamic regime’s nuclear aspirations. Iran hawks in the U.S. also argued the lifting of sanctions on Iran would only serve to embolden its anti-Western leaders.

President Trump pulled out of the agreement in 2018.

But former President Barack Obama’s allies have maintained it was a necessary compromise to limit the threat from Iran’s nuclear capabilities and a sure way to bring Tehran to the negotiating table.

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"There has to be a way to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. If they were