Iran and Allies reach deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme
Iran and six world powers meeting in Geneva are reported to have announced say they have reached a deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The deal also welcomed by US President Barack Obama says Iran is to curb its nuclear activities, initially for six months, in return for limited relief from sanctions.
Obama making a comment on the issue said it included “substantial limitations which would help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon”. On the other hand trhough, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif insisted Iran retained its right to enrich uranium.
Tehran has consistently denied repeated claims by Western governments that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium to use in power stations.
Reciprocal measures’
After four days of negotiations, representatives of the so-called P5+1 group of nations – the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany – reached an agreement with Iran in the early hours of Sunday.
A final text of the deal has yet to be released, but EU foreign policy chief Baroness Catherine Ashton said it included “reciprocal measures by both sides”. She said the deal would be co-ordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the agreement would “make our partners in the region safer”. However the Israeli government said it was a “bad agreement” that Israel did not feel bound by.
Details of the deal are as follows;
- Iran will halt uranium enrichment above 5%; neutralise stockpile of medium-enriched uranium
- Halt further development of heavy-water plant at Arak
- Increased monitoring by IAEA inspectors, including daily access at Natanz and Fordo nuclear site.
- In return, there will be no new nuclear-related sanctions for six months
- Some sanctions on precious metals and airlines to be suspended
- Allow purchases of Iranian oil to remain at their currently levels, giving Iran access to get access to $4.2bn in foreign exchange if it fulfils its commitments
Source: WEB SOURCES
