What they really need to work on are their delivery systems, the missiles. So while they work on their delivery, they can pretend to be accommodating on the uranium front.

Finally, the “ask” won’t be too big. Iran doesn’t have to press the U.S. to lift sanctions. Tehran just has to get us to stand by quietly while it presses Germany to lead the Europeans in backing off sanctions.

Iran also has a couple of carrots to offer Washington. First, Obama desperately wants to “go to zero” in Afghanistan, pulling out all U.S. troops. Tehran, which has influence in the country, will promise to help to pave the way for America’s exit.

Second, the White House has had few recent foreign policy success and lots of controversy—from the Benghazi debacle to the Russian rebuff to the dithering over Egypt. Anything that looks like a win will help the administration’s Image on the international scene.