nuclear deal

A day after the U.S., Iran and world powers announced the deal, Obama said the U.S. faces a "fundamental choice" about whether to embrace the opportunity to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue peacefully. His remarks in a White House news conference appeared aimed squarely at Congress, where lawmakers are discussing legislation to try to stop the deal's implementation.

"I expect the debate to be robust, and that's how it should be," Obama said, imploring lawmakers who are skeptical of the deal to "remember the alternative."

Netanyahu's war of words came as his political rival, Isaac Herzog, announced he would go to the U.S. to lobby for a compensation package to insure Israel's military advantage in the region.

Herzog's trip reflects the broad opposition to the deal in Israel, where most politicians fear the deal will fail to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons while strengthening the Islamic Republic's support for Israel's staunchest enemies.

Under the historic accord, Iran's nuclear program would be curtailed in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions. The agreement aims to avert the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and another U.S. military intervention in the Middle East.

There are no signs of people pouring into the streets of Tehran after the deal was announced on Tuesday — but that may have more to do with the stifling summer heat and the fact that most Iranians are fasting during the last days of Ramadan.

Many instead were glued to television coverage of the deal. At one Tehran electronics shop, people clapped as President Hassan Rouhani appeared on screen to address the nation.

The diplomats said at least two other issues still needed final agreement: Iranian demands that a U.N. arms embargo be lifted and that any U.N. Security Council resolution approving the nuclear deal no longer describe Iran's nuclear activities as illegal. 

They demanded anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the negotiations publicly.

Obtained by The Associated Press, the confidential International Atomic Energy Agency report said more than four tons of the enriched uranium had been fed into a pipeline that ends with conversion of it into oxide, which is much less likely to be used to make nuclear arms.

Iranian media said Mohammed Javad Zarif's trip was planned in advance. Still, the fact that he was leaving the talks so close to the Tuesday deadline reflected his need to get instructions on how to proceed on issues where the sides remain apart — among them how much access Tehran should give to U.N. experts monitoring his country's compliance to any deal.

The United States insists on more intrusive access than Iran is ready to give.