History made as Iran agrees with world powers to freeze nuclear program for six months

• Iran has agreed to stop enriching uranium above five per cent for six months in exchange for limited lifting of sanctions
• Other concessions include neutralizing stockpiles of near 20 per cent uranium, destroying several centrifuges and not installing new ones beyond those necessary for nuclear power
  
• Secretary of State John Kerry joined the foreign ministers of China, Russia, Great Britain, France and Germany at negotiating table Saturday
  
• President Barack Obama called it 'the most significant and tangible progress' since he took office
  

By Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press and Ryan Gorman

Published: 21:54 EST, 23 November 2013 | Updated: 20:47 EST, 25 November 2013

Iran has agreed with major global powers to temporarily suspend its controversial nuclear program in exchange for an easing of economic sanctions.

The historic agreement calls for Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment for weapons and take several other steps to prove it is working towards a more permanent solution. In exchange, relief from some economic sanctions will be provided.

'The first step that we have taken today marks the most significant and tangible progress that we have made with Iran since I took office,' President Barack Obama said in Saturday night remarks from the White House.

The still-to-be signed deal brings a partial end to decades of sanctions imposed against a country infamously deemed a member of 'the axis of evil' by former President George W Bush.

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Another historic late night weekend announcement: US President Barack Obama makes a statement announcing an interim agreement on Iranian nuclear power that was reached in negotiations between Iran and six world powers

The gang's all here: World leaders including John Kerry (third from right) and Irainain Foreign Minister Javid Zarif (center left) during deal's announcement from Geneva

History has been made: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov next to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (L-R)

 

Deal made to freeze Iranian nuclear programme for six months

In addition to suspending further uranium enrichment above five per cent, the country has also agreed to neutralize it's stockpile of near 20 per cent uranium, US officials said.

The regime will not install any new centrifuges, disable roughly half of the country's centrifuge capabilities, and limit production of machines to that only needed to replace damaged ones necessary to continue a peaceful program aimed at producing nuclear power, said US officials.

These actions include centrifuges at Natanz and Arak.

'While today's announcement is just a first step, it achieves a great deal,' said Mr Obama.

The deal also calls for 'unprecedented transparency and intrusive monitoring of Iran’s nuclear program,' according to a White House statement.

This transparency includes allowing International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to all previously disputed facilities and the providing of all previously requested information about their operation.

'These are substantial limitations which will help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon,' said the President.

Some sanctions will be eased: The deal allows for the relaxing of some sanctions, but only if Iran continues to abide by the agreement

Major progress: President Barack Obama speaks Saturday in the State Dining Room at the White House

 

Obama: 'We have halted the progress of Iranian nuclear...

There will be a multi-step verification process to ensure Iran complies with the agreement.

Iran agreed to these steps in exchange for a moderate relief from economic sanctions that have significantly derailed the country's economy over the past several years.

'The United States and our friends and allies have agreed to provide Iran modest relief, while continuing to apply our toughest sanctions,' President Obama added.

The relief includes suspending embargoes against gold and precious medals, Iran's auto industry and petrochemical exports, which US officials said will give the country about $1.5billion in revenue.

Additonally, further planned sanctions against Iranian oil will be put on hold and $400million in governmental tuition assistance will be made available from previously restricted accounts for use by Iranian students in other countries.

The total relief will total about $7billion, according to officials, but the country's estimated $100billion in foreign exchange holdings will remain restricted.

 

Obama takes on critics of Iran nuclear deal

Iranmust prove itself: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gestures as he speaks to the media about the deal that has been reached

Celebration: (L to R) EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

An amazing announcement: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) reacts next to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (C) as US Secretary of State John Kerry (2nd R) embraces French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius

 

Israeli PM: 'Iran agreement has made world more dangerous'

The President added that this development is proof that diplomacy can work, and that the US is committed to this course of action.

Speaking from Geneva, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the deal is 'only the first step,' but 'a critical first step.'

He also called the deal 'fail safe' and said that the President took great risks in coming to the agreement.

Both the President and Mr Kerry were quick to note that no one will take Iran's words at face value and that the deal alone is just the beginning, the onus is now on the country to follow up.

'This would provide Iran with a dignified path to forge a new beginning with the wider world based on mutual respect,' Mr Obama said. 'But if Iran refuses, it will face growing pressure and isolation.'

The world's most powerful countries brought their biggest diplomatic guns, with Mr Kerry flying in Saturday as it looked like an agreement was increasingly likely.

 

Kerry and Hague say Iran nuclear deal will be implemented

Let's make a deal: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif after the announcement

All smiles: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (R) enjoy the moment

The country has reportedly agreed to stop enriching uranium for the next six months while the details of a more permanent agreement are hammered out.

Mr Kerry joined the foreign ministers of China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany in Geneva, Switzerland, and his inclusion was seen as a sign a deal was imminent.

Hassan Rouhani, Iran's newly-elected moderate President, had previously spoke of hoping to bring to an end the Western sanctions that have crippled his country's economy

The agreement is a 'first-step' deal, according to NBC News.

It is binding for six months, but officials are hopeful that economic incentives will entice the previously

Until the announcement, which came early Sunday morning Geneva time, it was unclear whether the current round of negotiations would produce even a tentative agreement.

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke previously of 'very difficult negotiations,' saying 'narrow gaps' remain on the same issues that blocked agreement at the last round earlier this month.

'We're not here because things are necessarily finished,' Hague told reporters. 'We're here because they're difficult, and they remain difficult.'

Kerry and his counterparts from Russia, Britain, France, China and Germany headed for Geneva after diplomats said Friday that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and top European Union diplomat Catherine Ashton had made progress on a key sticking point - Iran's claim to a right to produce nuclear fuel through uranium enrichment.

A sense of relief: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (2nd L) is embraced by US Secretary of State John Kerry

News of the agreement was immediately followed by reports that the US and Iran held secret talks regarding the country's nuclear program since Mr Rouhani was elected President in June.

The secret meetings were held in Oman and other secret locations and kept secret from all US allies, including Israel.

The talks were held in Oman after Sultan Qaboos volunteered to mediate between the two nations, who have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1979.

Several talks were held prior to August, but little progress was made before then. The early meetings have been characterized as exploratory and mainly to see if there was a basis for negotiation.

Details were not previously released but it appeared the two sides were trying to reconcile Iran's insistence that it has a right to enrich for peaceful purposes while assuaging fears that Tehran was secretly trying to build a bomb, a charge the Iranians deny.

As the talks entered an intensive phase, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the negotiations had reached 'the final moment,' according to China's Xinhua news agency.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters he wanted 'a deal - but a solid deal - and I am here to work toward that end.'

France's concern that the negotiators were rushing into a flawed deal with Iran helped delay an agreement during a session nearly two weeks ago.

Other obstacles include Iran's plutonium reactor under construction in Arak as well as a formula for providing limited sanctions relief without weakening international leverage against Iran.

Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as part of the negotiations

Zarif appeared to allude to the toughening of demands after France's intervention. Iran's Mehr news agency quoted him as saying that back then, 'the two sides had agreement on issues but now it has reached a stage that there are various viewpoints and it is somehow difficult.'

Enrichment is a hot-button issue because it can be used both to make reactor fuel and to make nuclear weapons. Iran argues it is enriching only for power, and scientific and medical purposes, and says it has no interest in nuclear arms.

Washington and its allies point to Tehran's earlier efforts to hide enrichment and allege it worked on developing such weapons.

Iran has insisted on that right throughout almost a decade of mostly fruitless negotiations. But Zarif last weekend indicated that Iran is ready to sign a deal that does not expressly state that claim.

Iranian hard-liners have been suspicious of talk of nuclear compromise since moderate President Hassan Rouhani took office in September, fearing his team will give not get enough in terms of sanctions relief over the six-months of any first-stage agreement.

Kerry was greeted by Ambassador Alexandre Fasel of the Swiss Mission in Geneva (2-R), Ambassador Jurg Lauber of the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2-L), and US Charge d'Affaires Peter Mulrean (L)

Several U.S. senators - both Democrat and Republican - previously voiced displeasure with the parameters of the potential agreement, arguing that the U.S. and its partners are offering too much for something short of a full freeze on uranium enrichment.

On Wednesday, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said his country would never compromise on 'red lines.' Since then Tehran had even publicly reverted to its original stance - that the six powers must recognize uranium enrichment as Iran's right, despite strong opposition by Israel and within the U.S. Congress.

Still, comments from Iranian officials in Geneva indicated that reverting to tough talk on enrichment may have at least partially been meant for home consumption.

In Geneva, a senior Iranian negotiator said the Iranian claim to the right to enrich did not need to be explicitly recognized in any initial deal, despite Khamenei's comment, adding that the supreme leader was not planning to intervene in the talks. He did suggest, however, that language on that point remained difficult and that there were other differences.

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