Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States – plus Germany finalized the JCPOA in Vienna, on July 14, 2015.
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“We would like to thank the Austrian Government that helped to implement some of the commitments under the JCPOA”, Mogherini added.
Mr. Obama campaigned for the White House in 2008 on a promise to engage with US enemies including Iran and Cuba.
Iran’s nuclear programme has been substantially rolled back, in return for the lifting of sanctions and the economic benefits that will bring.
But he said recent closer diplomacy between the two powers had borne fruit and that a crisis had been averted.
Israel reacted to the IAEA’s announcement with skepticism.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said the “implementation day” of the Iranian nuclear deal is “worth celebrating” for the Iranian people and has a “demonstrative effect” while the worldwide nuclear non-proliferation regime is facing test.
President Obama on Sunday hailed the implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran and the release of U.S. prisoners, saying: “These things are a reminder of what we can achieve when we lead with strength and with wisdom”. “Israel will continue to monitor Iran’s negative activities and will take all necessary measures to maintain its security and defend itself”, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The US Secretary of State John Kerry has ordered that US nuclear-related economic sanctions against Iran be lifted.
Meanwhile, the United States imposed sanctions on 11 companies and individuals for supplying Iran’s ballistic missile program, the U.S. Treasury Department said.
In a possible sign of the thaw in relations, it was announced that Iran had freed four American prisoners, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, as part of a prisoner swap deal.
The seven Iranians – six of whom are dual citizens – were either accused or convicted of violating USA sanctions.
With worldwide sanctions lifted, more than $30 billion in assets overseas will become immediately available to Iran.
Rouhani made his comments to the Iranian parliament in an address broadcast live to the nation on state television, according to reports.
The U.S. and European Union sanctions on Tehran’s disputed nuclear program in the past years had cut the country’s financial and economic ties with the worldwide financial system and economic network.
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The end to sanctions means Iran will once again have access to its estimated $100 billion in assets that had been frozen in various accounts in the West and will allow Iran to once again enter the worldwide economy.
