Weekend confirmation of the deal’s implementation, which requires Iran to limit its nuclear capabilities, allowed the lifting of many global sanctions on Tehran on Saturday, Ansari said.
Advertisement
Who are the Americans released?
For those keeping score, Iran returned five Americans while the USA either released or dropped prosecutions against 21 Iranians.
“The fact that the new sanctions were announced literally hours after many sanctions were halted on implementation day, seems to show that the U.S. government is being intentionally provocative and that it doesn’t feel the need to be trusted or taken seriously”, Mohammad Marandi, a professor with Tehran University, said.
“A lot of work has been done to get to where we are now”.
“Jason expressed hope that he can see us both in person tomorrow, and he looks forward to seeing everyone at The Post very soon”, the newspaper said, quoting Rezaian as saying: “I hear there’s going to be a big party”.
On the flip side, the USA can now export commercial planes to Iran, which should be a boost to Boeing. The occasion for his Sunday boast is two-fold: Iran released several American hostages and the US lifted $100-$150 billion in sanctions on Iran.
Kerry said the United States also would continue negotiating with Iran over the release of Siamak Namazi, a Dubai-based USA citizen who was detained last fall. He was arrested as talks for the swap neared finalization and the Obama administration reportedly told the Iranians that his release was “expected” but that they would not include him in their talks, likely out of fear that the Iranians would demand the release of more Iranians now being held in America’s prison system if an additional prisoner was added to the list.
He did not say how much money was involved in the transfers, though he said the nuclear deal would give Tehran access to $32 billion in overseas assets and lower worldwide currency transactions for the country by 15 percent.
It’s hard to imagine such cooperation between Iran and the United States before the nuclear agreement, reached in July after marathon negotiations in Vienna. As for Iran, with the nuclear [program] gone, and its iconic American prisoners released, normal levels of barbarity can now be resumed.
The president announced that Washington was imposing new sanctions on 11 Iranian individuals and companies that he said had recently violated United Nations resolutions forbidding ballistic missile tests.
For Iran, long out in the economic cold over its contested atomic program, implementing the nuclear deal will be a welcome thaw. “What should we expect now that sanctions have been lifted and Iran has been given a free hand?” he said.
What’s next for U.S.-Iran relations?
The U.S. and Iran haven’t had diplomatic relations since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Advertisement
Syrian opposition leaders have voiced concerns that Iran will become more belligerent and aggressive, and Assad will be less inclined to compromise.
