Tehran, World Powers Reach Nuclear Deal, World Hails Agreement

Local Editor

A deal was announced on Sunday morning after the intense nuclear talks between Tehran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany, originally scheduled to end on Friday, entered into the fifth day. The agreement paves the way for final resolution of the West's decade-old dispute with Iran over its nuclear energy program.

The interim deal allows for Iran to continue its activities at Arak, Fordo, and Natanz facilities.
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the agreement also stipulates that no additional sanctions will be imposed on Iran because of its nuclear energy program.

Iran will also receive access to USD 4.2 billion in foreign exchange as part of the nuclear deal.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Sayyed Abbas Araqchi, said the agreement recognizes the country's "enrichment program."
World leaders echoed satisfaction for reaching a deal, warmly welcoming a step that could be historic for the region.

Starting with UN Chief Ban Ki-moon, the UN spokesman Martin Nesirky quoted Ban as saying that the nuclear deal could be "historic" for the Middle East.
Ban "warmly welcomes" the preliminary accord, he added. Ban said the accord "could turn out to be the beginnings of a historic agreement for the peoples and nations of the Middle East region and beyond."

For his part, US President Barack Obama described it an important step. "Today, the United States together with our close allies and partners took an important first step toward a comprehensive solution that addresses our concerns with the Islamic Republic of ran's nuclear program."

Despite Obama's felicitations, his Zionist allies were not appeased by the outcome of negotiations.

Hence, US Secretary of State John Kerry, tried to appease their anger saying: "This first step, I want to emphasize, actually rolls back the program from where it is today, enlarges the breakout time, which would not have occurred unless this agreement existed. It will make our partners in the region safer. It will make our ally "Israel" safer."

Moreover, European Union President Herman Van Rompuy greeted the "courage" shown by Iran and world powers in their deal, urging its ‘punctual' implementation. "It is now crucial to ensure punctual implementation of the agreement reached and to continue working, on the basis of the trust that is being built, towards a definitive settlement of this issue," Van Rompuy pointed out.

In addition, Russia said there were only winners and no losers in the deal, while China said the Geneva document will support stability in the Middle East.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the deal reached a breakthrough but warned it was the first step in a long process. "A breakthrough step has been made, but only the first on a long and difficult path," Putin said in his first comments on the deal. "As the result of talks... we managed to get closer to untying one of the most difficult knots in world politics," the Russian leader stated, according to a Kremlin statement.

"Nobody lost, everyone ends up winning... We are convinced that Iran will cooperate with the (International Atomic Energy Agency) agency in good faith," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for his part said.
As for China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the agreement "will help to uphold the international nuclear non-proliferation system, (and) safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East."

France, the member of the so-called P5+1 group that had expressed the most reservations over Iran's commitment in a previous round of talks, said Sunday's deal was a "step in the right direction".

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the accord "confirms Iran's right to civilian nuclear energy but rules out access to the nuclear weapon."
"After years of blockages, the agreement in Geneva on Iran's nuclear program is an important step to preserving security and peace," Fabius added.
The UK's Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed the deal, saying it is "good for the whole world, including Middle Eastern countries and the people of Iran themselves."

Syria also hailed the deal as "historic".

Local media quoted its foreign ministry stating "Syria welcomes the agreement ... and considers it to be a historic accord which guarantees the interests of the brotherly Iranian people and acknowledges their right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy."

Deputy Foreign Minister Sayyed Abbas Araqchi had earlier emphasized that Tehran could not accept any deal that did not recognize Iran's enrichment right.
The landmark agreement was reached in Tehran's third nuclear negotiations with the world powers since Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took office in August.

Source: Agencies, edited by website team