President Obama on Sunday hailed the release of Americans from Iranian custody and the implementation of an historic accord to curb Iran’s nuclear program, pointing to the breakthroughs as products of diplomacy.
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Meanwhile, Iran announced the release of five American-Iranians as part of a prisoner swap with the US.
While U.S. officials say Iran will only pocket about $50 billion of those assets after legal claims, the announcement of this new settlement could add fuel to the fire for critics who say the U.S.is funding a destructive regime. The fourth individual was not clearly identified.
He also said Saturday marked a “milestone” in making sure Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon.
“But today’s progress – Americans coming home, an Iran that has rolled back its nuclear program and accepted unprecedented monitoring of that program – these things are a reminder of what we can achieve when we lead with strength and with wisdom; with courage and resolve and patience”.
Iran also agreed to work to locate American Robert Levinson, who vanished during a trip to Iran in 2007. The US and Iran broke off diplomatic relations after the 1979 hostage-taking at the US Embassy in Tehran.
The Obama administration said it was prepared to test whether additional co-operation with Iran was possible, most notably in resolving the civil war in Syria.
In a statement released earlier this weekend NIAC President Trita Parsi said the prisoner exchange was long overdue.
Speaking from the White House, the US President explained how 98% of Tehran’s stockpile of enriched uranium had been shipped out of Iran – “meaning they do not have enough material for even one bomb”.
The missile program “poses a significant threat to regional and global security, and it will continue to be subject to worldwide sanctions”, said Adam J. Szubin, the Department of the Treasury’s acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence in a statement, according to The Associated Press.
“The agreement to free Americans imprisoned in Iran is a triumph of diplomacy that should be universally commended,”Parsi said”.
Other sanctions are still in effect against the country, however – including a newly imposed set against 11 Iranian companies and individuals on account of a recent ballistic missile test.
The President said a deal between the United States and Iran at The Hague, in which Iran received US$400 million (S$575.8 million) in funds frozen since 1981 plus US$1.3 billion in interest, could save the United States billions of dollars that Iran was pursuing.
On the prisoner-swap, Obama drew a clear link with the success of the nuclear talks.
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HORSLEY: Well, you know, the administration has said all along that striking this nuclear deal with Iran would not solve all of our differences with that country.
