Iran Nuclear Deal: Tentative Deal Reached
Published at
ABC News(LAUSANNE, Switzerland) — After eight straight days of high-level diplomatic negotiations between the six world powers and Iran, negotiators in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday announced an interim agreement has been reached on the principles for dismantling Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting heavy economic sanctions.
“Today we have taken a decisive step,” said Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union, responsible for coordinating the talks. “We have reached solutions on key parameters of a joint comprehensive plan of action.”
At the White House on Thursday, President Obama called it “an historic understanding with Iran, which, if fully implemented” will prevent the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“This has been a long time coming,” Obama said.
Mogherini outlined some specifics about the interim deal at a news conference, standing alongside Iran’s foreign minister.
Among the agreements:
Iran’s deep-buried nuclear facility at Fordo will be converted from a nuclear site into a physics and technology center. No fissile material will remain there.
The heavy water reactor at Arak will not be redesigned and will not produce weapons-grade plutonium.
In return, nuclear-related economic sanctions against Iran will be lifted immediately.
“If Iran cheats, the world will know it. If we see something suspicious, we will inspect it,” Obama said. “With this deal, Iran will face more inspections than any other country in the world.”
Moments before the press conference, Iranian leaders, including President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, released short statements via Twitter that “solutions on key parameters” have been “reached” and that negotiators are ready to begin drafting an agreement.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tweeted moments after the Iranians that negotiators “now have parameters to resolve major issues” on Iran’s nuclear program. “Back to work soon on a final deal,” Kerry wrote.
A senior Israeli government official in Jerusalem told ABC News that the framework will lead to a bad and dangerous deal. Calling it a potential historic mistake that would turn the world into a more dangerous place, the official said that the framework gives Iran’s nuclear program international legitimacy. The official also expressed concern that the deal would not eliminate the country’s nuclear capabilities.
Kerry, on the other hand, told ABC News’ Terry Moran in Switzerland that the framework was the “best, safest way to make the world safer.”
“War is absence of diplomacy — the failure of it,” Kerry added. “Thing can change, but they don’t change unless people try to reach out and break down barriers.”
“Now,” Kerry concluded, “we have to finish the job.”
World News Videos | US News Videos
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.