[Breaking News] Iran agrees to curb nuclear activity, Iran Nuclear Deal with 5+1

[[Rstar]Peter]

Iran agrees to halt some of its work on uranium enrichment for six months, as part of a landmark nuclear deal reached with six world powers in Geneva.

Iran and six world powers reached a breakthrough agreement early on Sunday to curb Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief, in a first step towards resolving a dangerous decade-old standoff.

The agreement between Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia was nailed down after more than four days of tortuous negotiations in the Swiss city of Geneva.

As part of the six-month interim deal, Iran will get access to the equivalent of 3.1 billion euros in foreign exchange and has committed to halting uranium enrichment above five percent.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who has been coordinating talks with Iran on behalf of the major powers, said it created time and space for talks aimed at reaching a comprehensive solution to the dispute.

In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama said that if Iran did not meet its commitments during a six-month period, the United States would turn off sanctions relief and “ratchet up the pressure.”

“Today, that diplomacy opened up a new path toward a world that is more secure - a future in which we can verify that Iran’s nuclear programme is peaceful, and that it cannot build a nuclear weapon. While today’s announcement is just a first step, it achieves a great deal. For the first time in nearly a decade, we have halted the process of the Iranian nuclear programme, and key parts of the programme will be rolled back. Iran had committed to halting certain levels of enrichment and neutralising part of its stockpile,” said the president.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that an agreement between Iran and major powers would make it harder for Iran to make a dash to build a nuclear weapon and would make Israel and other U.S. allies safer.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu’s government denounced the agreement as “a bad deal” that Israel did not regard itself as bound by.

Before Sunday’s agreement, Israel, believed to be the Middle East’s only nuclear power, said the deal being offered would give Iran more time to master nuclear technology and amass potential bomb fuel.

Copyright © 2013 euronews




Twits:
0821: David Kenner, Middle East editor, Foreign Policy magazine tweets: If I was Netanyahu today, I'd be looking for any way to highlight US-Iranian divisions. And that means I'd be looking at Syria and Lebanon.
0819: The Iranian leader is repeating the line he has taken consistently: Iran has never sought nuclear weapons, and never will seek nuclear weapons.
0818: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is speaking live on Press TV at the moment.
  0816: The US State Department tweets images from Secretary of State John Kerry's discussions: These photos take you behind the scenes at the #IranTalks in Geneva: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjMV29QC
0815: The Israeli statement added: "Economic pressure on Iran could have produced a much better agreement that would have led to a dismantling of Iran's nuclear capacities."
0814: A statement reacting to the deal issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said: "This is a bad agreement that gives Iran what it wanted - the partial lifting of sanctions while maintaining an essential part of its nuclear programme."
  0813: Kim Ghattas, BBC State Department correspondent tweets: Agreement with Iran in Geneva has potential of changing US-Iran relationship, but beyond nuclear programme, much to be addressed
0810: The key points of the deal revolve around the uranium enrichment programme. Iran has agreed to halt all enrichment above 5%. Above this point, uranium can be used for research. Above 20%, and the uranium has the potential to be enriched further for use in weapons.
0809: The US state department has given us the most clear list yet of what the deal includes.
  0804: Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran tweets: Iranian people's vote for #moderation & constructive engagement + tireless efforts by negotiating teams are to open new horizons. #IranTalks
0801: The secret talks, authorised by President Obama, took place in Oman and other locations, with four meetings occurring since the election of new Iran President Hassan Rouhani in August.
0759: One of the cornerstones of the deal was secret talks between the US and Iran over the past year, according to unnamed officials initially quoted by the AP news agency before being confirmed by other news wires.
0758: The elation in Geneva wasn't suprising when you consider that it's taken a decade to get to this point. For a reminder of what the crisis is all about, have a look at our Q&A.
  0753: William Hague, British Foreign Secretary tweets: This agreement shows it is possible to work with #Iran, and through diplomacy address intractable problems #IranTalks
He continues: Negotiations were painstaking. Tomorrow hard work begins of implementing and building on the agreement #IranTalks
0751: It was all hugs and smiles earlier in Geneva, when the deal was finally made...

Source BBC.co.Uk | bbcpersian.com | Euronews.com

[[WS]Jacob]

Proof democracy works better than having missiles rain down on people.