Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hailed the nuclear deal, which has faced opposition by hardliners at home, as a “golden page” in Iran’s history and said it could be used as a model to resolve other regional issues.
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On January 17, a day after nuclear-related sanctions were lifted against Tehran, the United States announced fresh sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals linked to Iran’s ballistic-missile program. In exchange for the release of five U.S. prisoners in Iran, the United States dropped charges against seven Iranians, accused of violating trade sanctions and canceled warrants against 14 others, and paid almost $2 billion to settle a financial dispute. He’s a Professor of International Affairs at Pennsylvania State University and the co-author of “Going to Tehran: Why America Must Accept the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
The Iranian leader stresses that the country has shouldered “heavy costs” for this agreement and the public should not be led to believe that “Western parties have done us any favours”.
The restrictions were lifted after Iran implemented its side of a July deal with world powers restricting Tehran’s atomic activities.
Ansari referred to the new penalties as illegitimate, saying his country “responds with determination to such propaganda by accelerating its legal ballistic missile program and boosting defense capabilities”.
Republicans claimed that even tougher sanctions and more bellicose threats would force Iran to end its nuclear ambitions.
Iran expects an economic breakthrough after the lifting of crippling sanctions linked to its nuclear programme and a windfall of billions of dollars in unfrozen assets.
Rouhani also said, Iran’s nuclear issue is one of the most complicated matters in the world. While it opens up a new chapter in US-Iran relations, there has been little that Saudi Arabia has been able to do to convince the US of the need to hold back.
Concerns that fresh Iranian exports will worsen a supply glut have helped push oil prices to 12-year lows, and they plunged below US$28 a barrel early on Monday.
The head of the United Nations nuclear agency today called for long-term predictable funding to monitor Iran’s agreement with the global community to never seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons.
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Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini were flown from Iran to Switzerland then brought to a U.S. military hospital in Germany, for medical treatment.
