Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

A Major Breakthrough in Iran-US Nuclear Deal

The disputed nuclear enrichment program, Iran had initiated, has long been a bone of discontent and escalating suspicion between Iran and US, over the past decade. The stalemate of distant talks brought economic sanctions on Iran. Many efforts were exercised, leading to congenial solution of lingering dispute, rendered futile. Iran got ill with lengthened sanction that worst affected its economy and has to pursue financial relieves.

Iran and six world powers (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany) agreed on the framework of a potentially historic deal aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear drive, marking a major breakthrough in a 12-year standoff after marathon talks in Switzerland.

US Secretary of State John Kerry hailed a "big day", while Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the drafting of a full accord would begin immediately with the aim of completing it by the June 30 deadline.

Iran suffered severe economic sanctions after emergence of clandestine uranium enrichment. Subsequent to sanction imposed on Iran over disputed nuclear program, large sum of Iranian assets, in US and European banks were frozen, exports were barred and currency devalued. It resulted in price hike, unemployment and inflation across the country. Consequently the deal plays foundational role reviving the economic uplift of Islamic republic of Iran. The suspension of the uranium enrichment above 5 per cent is considered to be a vital step towards easing of the western sanction imposed on Iran, which is agreed in the deal with the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

The framework, agreed between Iran and the West, raised hopes the deal could help stability in the Middle East. Kerry said Iran's stocks of highly enriched uranium will be cut by 98 percent for 15 years, while its unfinished Arak reactor will not produce weapons-grade plutonium. The Fordo facility, built deep into a mountain, will remain open; however will not be used for enrichment but for research and development. The deal will also see Iran reduce by roughly two-thirds - to 6,104 from around 19,000 - the number of uranium centrifuges, which can make fuel for nuclear power but also the core of a nuclear bomb.

US President Barack Obama welcomed the "historic understanding" with the Islamic republic after decades of hostility, but cautioned that more work needed to be done. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the United States and the EU will lift all nuclear-related sanctions on Iran once the UN atomic agency has verified that Tehran has stuck to the ground-breaking deal. And the US said all past UN nuclear resolutions on Iran would also be lifted.

The deal was highly celebrated in the avenues of Tehran given hundreds of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran after the agreement was announced, with drivers sounding their horns in approval along the capital's longest street, Val-e-Asr Avenue. The deal for sure accompanies economic riches and deflation of its currency there in Tehran.

The incumbent president of Iran owns the credit for melting the decades long trust deficit lying between Iran and the West –it instead has installed a certain degree of confidence, more or less portrayed a pacifying image of Iran before the world. The deal has certainly won a major achievement for President Hassan Rouhani, who vowed, bringing the country out of battered relations with west and relieving tightened sanctions, during election campaign.

The great power of the world and the UN hope that the deal will make it virtually impossible for Iran to make nuclear weapons provided the two sides abide by their approval. Successful implementation of the deal could put Iran and the United States on the road to better relations after 35 years of animosity since the 1979-1981 hostage crises in Tehran. The deal asserted to cement the multilateral relation of Iran with West in general and US in particular.

Russia being the one of the proponent of talks leading to congenial solution welcomed the deal whilst hailing the deal as recognition of Tehran's "unconditional right" to pursue a civilian nuclear programme. Nonetheless, the republican in US and some allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia displayed strong reservations on the deal. They fear that if too much of Iran's nuclear programme is left intact; it will still have the ability to obtain an atomic bomb. Israel said it would increase the risks of nuclear proliferation and of "a horrific war", with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling Obama the deal "would not block Iran's path to the bomb. It would pave it," according to an Israeli spokesman.

Failure may set the United States and Israel on a road to military action to thwart Iran's nuclear drive and keep Tehran out in the cold on the international stage. France, which has taken a hawkish line during the negotiations, warned that sanctions could be re-imposed if Tehran does not fully keep its side of the bargain. Nevertheless, the UN chief Ban Ki-moon applauded the deal saying, “a comprehensive, negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue will contribute to peace and stability in the region and enable all countries to cooperate urgently to deal with the many serious security challenges they face".

We should learn the world can be turned into safer place to live in, only when the disputes turning into discord are turned into agreeable and implementable discourse, potentially strong to install peace. The history of war reflects, peace can only thrive when its pre-requisites, like negotiations are supplied unconditionally.