Under July’s deal, Iran’s nuclear activities will be severely constrained and remain under strict oversight for the next decade, but Tehran will then be able to scale up its production of nuclear fuel.
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Obama’s remarks came a day after the US and European Union lifted global sanctions on Iran Saturday following the announcement of the worldwide Atomic Energy Agency that the country was complying with its nuclear-related obligations agreed last summer. And as a result, the United States is imposing sanctions on individuals and companies working to advance Iran’s ballistic missile program. Tehran also surprised many observers with the quick release of 10 US sailors detained last week after they inadvertently navigated into Iranian territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.
The steps taken so far by Tehran extend to at least a year, from a few months previously how long Iran would need to make one nuclear bomb’s worth of fissile material.
The visit by the IAEA chief was constructive, the Iranian spokesman noted, saying, “We reviewed the grounds of our cooperation with the IAEA (during the visit)”.
“We’re not going to waver in the defense of our security or that of our allies and partners”, Obama said.
Iran on Monday said new United States curbs on the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile programme were illegitimate, vowing to continue developing its conventional military deterrent.
A statement from the State Department released over the weekend read: “We offered clemency to seven Iranians, six of whom are dual U.S.-Iranian citizens, who had been convicted or are pending trial in the United States”.
Hekmati was released at the weekend along with four other Americans in a deal negotiated between Washington and Iran.
“The UN’s clearance marks a milestone for President Barack Obama, who said this week that his policy of hard-nosed diplomacy backed by onerous penalties had succeeded in keeping the US out of “another war”. Iran also got $1.3 billion in interest, which Obama said was much less than it had sought. “They don’t trust us”, he said. Trevithick was released after about 40 days in custody independently of a prisoner exchange between the US and Iran that saw American prisoners discharged.
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What the lifting of sanctions means for Iran and the Middle East.
