With the International Atomic Energy Agency certifying that Iran has complied with its agreement to scale back its nuclear program, Obama signed an executive order lifting nuclear-related sanctions.
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Kerry said Saturday that the prisoner swap was not formally linked to the nuclear deal, but that it was “accelerated in light of the relationships forged…in the nuclear talks”.
Asked before the new sanctions were announced how Iran would react to fresh measures against it, Rouhani on Sunday had said: “Any action will be met by a reaction”.
Presenting the draft budget for the next Iranian fiscal year, which begins in March, Rouhani told parliament the deal was a “turning point” for the economy of Iran, a major oil producer which has been virtually shut out of global markets for the past five years.
He explained that beyond negotiations about the purchase of specific goods such as airplanes, nuts or carpets, companies based in the United States would not be allowed to invest in Iran.
“It still depends on how fast Iran can increase supplies”, Weinberg said.
Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said the deal’s implementation marks “a new and unsafe time in which Iran is free of most economic sanctions without having to stop its nuclear plan and without having to give explanations about its military activity as it had to in the past”. “Instead, we worked directly with the Iranian government and secured the release of our sailors in less than 24 hours”.
President Barack Obama says Americans long held in Iran will soon be reunited with their families and says “tireless” diplomacy made it possible.
A photograph of him speaking with Zarif and Iranian President Hasan Rouhani’s brother, Hossein Fereydoun, captured the moment. “We are fully ready to protect Iran but we are also the messenger of peace, stability and security in the region and the world”, he said.
Iran will also see huge benefits from new oil, trade and financial opportunities after Western sanctions against it are lifted. He explained the settlement would save billions of dollars that “could have been pursued by Iran”.
The announcement came as Iran and world powers led by the United States were expected to finally implement last July’s nuclear deal, which will lift worldwide sanctions imposed on the Islamic republic.
The European Commission said it would undertake a first “technical assessment mission” in February to explore energy ties with Iran.
The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed that three USA prisoners released by Tehran were due in the country.
Arash Ghahreman, convicted in 2015 of trying to export US-built marine navigation equipment to Iran, was also released, his attorney Ellis Johnston said on Sunday.
Many economists think the 8 percent growth target is much too optimistic without hard reforms to business regulation and the labour market that could take years to push through, even if Rouhani can sustain the political will for them.
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Earlier on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Mogherini jointly announced the landmark nuclear deal’s implementation.
