I want to tell you a story about the art of the deal- the Iran deal, for which I was the lead negotiator. 1/14
We negotiated the deal at the Palais Coburg Hotel in Vienna. I thought I’d be home in short order. 2/14
By day 25 I had barely left the hotel and had eaten only 1 meal outside the Coburg. Every rod and rack in my bathroom had hand-washed laundry.3/14
We called our side the P5+1: US, England, France, Germany, Russia, China and the EU. 4/14
Diplomacy can test your patience. There were so many interlocking issues to cover: how to verify Iran’s compliance, how to limit its centrifuges, how to ‘snapback’ sanctions if needed, etc. 5/14
Every time one element of the deal changed, we had to renegotiate within the P5+1 and EU,then go back to the Iranians again. It was like a Rubik’s Cube. Solve one side and you’ve jumbled the others. 6/14
After dinner on the 25th day, I met with Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s lead negotiator, with his partner, Majid Takata-Ravanchi to go over one final UN resolution. 7/14
Araghchi agreed to key points, but then leaned forward and began to dispute a previously agreed upon point. 8/14
This was familiar Iranian negotiation style: just as consensus seemed imminent, there would be one more point of contention. We’ve given you what you want; now give us something of ours you’ve taken. 9/14
I lost it. I began to tell, and to my frustration and fury, my eyes began to well up with tears. I told them how their tactics jeopardized the entire deal. 10/14
Women are told early in life that it’s not socially acceptable to get angry. And it’s a sign of weakness to let people see you cry. 11/14
Aragchi and Ravanchi were stunned. For a first time in a month, they were silent. 12/14
Something in the sincerity of my frustration broke through. After a long silent moment. Aragchi dismissed his objection. That tearful reckoning became the final substantive turn of the Rubik’s cube. 13/14
That’s when it clicked into place for me. When you bring values like authenticity, persistence, and commitment to the negotiating table, both in work and personal life, you are enormously powerful. 14/14
