By David Blair, Chief Foreign Correspondent and, Ruth Sherlock, US Editor, video source APTN
The presidents of both the US and Iran say the implementation of the nuclear deal vindicates their policies.
President Barack Obama declared a victory for American diplomacy on Sunday, hailing the implementation of an agreement that had "cut off every single path" for Iran to build a nuclear bomb.
In Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani echoed the sentiment, telling his people that the historic accord was a vindication of his policy towards the West.
“I decided that a strong, confident America could advance our national security by engaging directly with the Iranian government,” said Mr Obama. “We’ve seen the result”.America and its allies are now relieving Iran of all nuclear-related sanctions, including a European Union oil embargo.
In return, Iran has surrendered 98 per cent of its low-enriched uranium and removed two-thirds of its 19,500 centrifuges that produce the material. A reactor capable of producing plutonium for a bomb has been filled with concrete, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is receiving greater inspection rights.
“Whereas Iran was steadily expanding its nuclear programme, we have now cut off every single path that Iran could have used to build a bomb,” said Mr Obama.
Mr Rouhani promised to secure the removal of sanctions when he won the presidency in 2013. He has now been able to fulfill this pledge before a parliamentary election due on February 26.
"Today we are in an atmosphere where we can have political, economic and legal interaction with the world to the benefit of our national interests," said Mr Rouhani. "We believe in our national strength. We believe in our nation's success."
At present, Iran is producing about 2.9 million barrels of oil every day. The IAEA calculates that Iran could increase this total by another 700,000 barrels within 90 days. Any extra output would place more downward pressure on the global oil price.
Both Mr Obama and Mr Rouhani faced fierce opposition from hardliners during the negotiation of the nuclear deal.
When last week ten US Navy sailors were detained when they strayed into Iranian waters, Republican congressmen insisted this was evidence of Iran’s continued hostility.
On Sunday Mr Obama, who hopes the Iran deal will become a mainstay of his legacy, said their swift release was only proof of the new era of diplomacy that had been established with Iran.
President Barack Obama leaves the podium after speaking about the release of Americans by Iran (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Mr Obama also hailed the release of four Americans in a prisoner swap that occurred in the final hours of the nuclear deal’s implementation.
He praised the bravery of Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post journalist who was held for 18 months, saying that he embodies “the brave spirit that gives life to the freedom of the press”.
In Tehran, hardliners consistently argued that America and its Western allies would never lift the burden of sanctions, even if the nuclear issue was resolved. They claimed that America's goal was to topple the Islamic regime and the economic stranglehold would stay in place until this was achieved.
But Mr Rouhani pointed out that sanctions were being lifted and the critics "were all proven wrong". He said that unnamed international banks had already offered lines of credit to Iran.
The removal of sanctions will help Mr Rouhani to ensure that more of his allies enter the Majlis, or parliament, during next month's election.
Before the EU embargo was imposed in July 2012, more than a quarter of Iran's oil exports went to European countries, notably Greece and Italy. As soon as the embargo is lifted, Iran will be able to resume these sales.
The country had previously been reduced to selling oil to only four big customers: China, India, Japan and South Korea. Iran now has every chance of increasing its oil exports, which serve as the vital pillar of its economy.
One American decision on Sunday showed the limits of the rapprochement with Iran. The US Treasury designated 11 "entities and individuals" for their alleged involvement in "procurement on behalf of Iran's ballistic missile programme".
While the US is lifting all nuclear-related sanctions, this will not affect other restrictions related to Iran's alleged sponsorship of terrorism, its human rights record and its missile ambitions.
Last year, Iran conducted two ballistic missile tests in breach of United Nations resolutions. Sunday's announcement from the US Treasury was a response to those events and a signal that America will continue to enforce non-nuclear sanctions.
No comments:
Post a Comment