Rouhani Buoyed by Nuclear Deal in Battle With Hard Liners

Eighteen months after picking up the phone to Barack Obama with an historic message of reconciliation, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has secured the outline nuclear agreement he expects to end his country’s isolation.

Succeeding where two Iranian presidents before him failed, Rouhani’s envoys on Thursday struck an accord with world powers that limits his country’s nuclear work in exchange for eventual relief from punishing sanctions. Diplomats, who hours earlier had appeared worn out and doubtful of the prospects, now have three months to hammer out the details of a final pact and complete the job.