Obama said to estimate Iran deal odds at under 50-50

US President Barack Obama reportedly estimated the chances of reaching a final nuclear deal with Iran at “less than 50-50,” as he worked to reassure Democratic Senators Tuesday that he would not accept a bad deal.

Obama’s less than optimistic assessment to his party’s lawmakers at a White House cocktail party came several hours after negotiators in the US-led initiative missed a self-imposed deadline for the second time, the website Politico reported Wednesday. Talks continued on Wednesday with no indication that the two sides were nearing an agreement.

“He said the chances he thought were less than 50-50 at this point and that he wouldn’t agree to something he thought was weak or unenforceable,” Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois told the website.

“But if he comes up with an agreement and it meets his standards, he wanted us to take an honest look at it and not prejudge,” he added.

Obama also asked Democrats to support him if he does reach a deal that’s good enough for him to sign onto.

“He wanted to make it perfectly clear that he is in no rush to an agreement and that he will walk away from the table if there is no good deal to be reached and that there isn’t a deal yet, and so all of these reports about what is in a deal are premature,” said Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

Lawmakers in attendance said that Obama got no resistance to that message over wine and appetizers in the White House State Dining Room.

A testy debate over trade last month divided Obama from many in his party, and Tuesday’s meeting was an opportunity for Obama and Democrats to reset their relationship in preparation for the legislative session ahead.

A top focus was Iran, according to several lawmakers. Prospects are uncertain for the Obama administration to complete a deal, but if the accord isn’t sent to Congress by Thursday, its month-long review period would be doubled to 60 days.

Obama has expended significant political capital on finalizing an agreement to keep Iran from going nuclear, prompting Republicans and allies in the Middle East to accuse him of making too many concessions and even some Democrats to express deep ambivalence.