THE preparatory agreement between Iran and the United States and other major powers that was issued on Thursday in Lausanne, Switzerland, providing for the "key parameters" for a final accord on Iran's nuclear programme may not be perfect, but it is the least-worst option to ensuring that the Islamic Republic will not be a nuclear threat.

The deal is not yet finalised, and it remains a bit sketchy. Negotiators will be working to try to come up with a comprehensive and detailed accord by June 30 that could end the standoff with Iran over its nuclear programme and open the road to lifting the economic sanctions on Teheran.

Critics of the deal among Republicans in Washington as well as in Israel and Saudi Arabia contend that Iran cannot be trusted and that the terms of the agreement will not ensure it won't acquire a nuclear weapon. These critics are correct in pointing out that the basic framework falls short of the goals that had been set by the Obama administration, and which demanded that Iran cease enriching its uranium and end its nuclear programme.