This was published 9 years ago
Iran nuclear deal ratified: UN lifts sanctions on receipt of IAEA report
By Michelle Nichols
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New York: Iran will emerge from years of economic isolation after world powers began to lift crippling economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic in return for its compliance with a historic deal to curb its nuclear ambitions.
The receipt of a final International Atomic Energy Agency report by United Nations Security Council sealed the deal.
"Iran has carried out all measures required under the [July deal] to enable Implementation Day [of the deal] to occur," the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
Within minutes, the United States formally lifted banking, steel, shipping and other sanctions on Iran, a major oil producer. Other countries are likely to follow suit.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, left, IAEA Director Yukiya Amano and EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, right, arrive at the IIAEA, in Vienna, on Saturday.Credit: AP
"Today marks the start of a safer world," said US Secretary of State John Kerry.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the breakthrough.
"This achievement demonstrates that international proliferation concerns are best addressed through dialogue and patient diplomacy," Mr Ban's spokesman said in a statement.
Under the July 20 resolution, Iran is now "called upon" to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. Critics of the deal say the language does not make it obligatory.
US Secretary of State, John Kerry, on his plane en route to Vienna on Saturday.Credit: Kevin Lamarque
The resolution allows for supply of ballistic missile technology and heavy weapons, such as tanks and attack helicopters, to Iran with Security Council approval, but the United States has pledged to veto any such requests.
The restrictions on ballistic missile technology are in place for eight years and on heavy weapons for five years. An arms embargo stopping Iran from buying or selling weapons remains in place for up to five years.
US Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, after the IAEA verified that Iran has met all conditions under the nuclear deal.Credit: AP
The resolution places restrictions on transferring nuclear technology to Iran for peaceful purposes for a decade.
It allows all UN sanctions to be re-imposed if Iran breaches the deal in the next 10 years. If the Security Council receives a complaint of a breach it would then need to vote within 30 days on a resolution to extend sanctions relief.
EU's Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right.Credit: AP
Today marks the start of a safer world.
US Secretary of State John Kerry
If the council fails to vote on a resolution, the sanctions would be automatically re-imposed. This procedure prevents any of the veto powers which negotiated the accord, such as Russia and China, from blocking any snap-back of Iran sanctions.
All the provisions and measures of the UN resolution would terminate in a decade if the nuclear deal is adhered to.
Iran released Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian jsut before sanctions were lifted.Credit: AP
Iran freed a number of American hostages on Saturday prior to the lifting of sanctions.
Together, the lifting of sanctions and the prisoner deal considerably reduce the hostility between Tehran and Washington that has shaped the Middle East since Iran's Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Freed: US citizen Amir Hekmati, accused by Iran of spying for the CIA, sits in Tehran's revolutionary court, in Iran in 2011.Credit: IRIB/AP
The sanctions deal is viewed with deep suspicion by US Republicans as well as American allies in the Middle East, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. US-Iranian suspicion still remains deeply entrenched.
The detente with Iran is opposed by all of the Republican candidates vying to succeed Obama in presidential elections in November.
Nevertheless, Ted Cruz, a conservative senator from Texas and one of the Republican frontrunners, tweeted in support of the release of Abedini: "Praise God! Surely bad parts of Obama's latest deal, but prayers of thanksgiving that Pastor Saeed is coming home."
Washington maintains separate, less comprehensive sanctions on Iran over its missile program.
A week ago Iran detained 10 US Navy sailors on two boats in the Gulf, although they were released the next day.