The United States and the European Union have lifted oil and financial sanctions on Iran, releasing around $100 billion of frozen assets, after the International Atomic Energy Agency certified that Tehran has fulfilled its commitments under the of the historic nuclear deal concluded last July.
In a day of fast-paced developments, Iran announced the release of four long-held American prisoners under a swap deal, and one separately, while the US agreed to pardon or drop charges against seven Iranians. Washington will also drop arrest warrants against 14 Iranian fugitives.
President Barack Obama, for whom implementation of the deal is regarded as a crowning diplomatic triumph, signed executive orders lifting the American sanctions, as soon as the word came on the UN watchdog’s certification that Iran is in full compliance of stipulations under the nuclear deal.
The IAEA said in its report that Iran has shipped 98 per cent of its fuel to Russia and dismantled more than 12,000 centrifuges so that they could not enrich uranium any further. It also noted that Iran also poured cement into the core of a reactor designed to produce plutonium.
For India, lifting of the Iranian sanctions will make it easier to do business with the country. In the wake of the sanctions, India and other major consumers were pressured by the US to curtail their oil imports from Iran. The normalization, however, is not without its flip side as India will now have to pay Iran in dollars and not in rupees that became possible in the sanctions era.
“Today marks the day of a safer world. This evening, we are really reminded once again of diplomacy’s power to tackle significant challenges,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said in Vienna, noting the Iran deal has now “transitioned from ambitious promises on paper to measurable actions in practice”.
“Iran has undertaken significant steps that many, and I do mean many, people doubted would ever come to pass. And that should be recognised, even though the full measure of this achievement can only be realized by assuring continued full compliance in the coming years,” Kerry said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said in a joint statement issued in Vienna that the accord “demonstrates that with political will, perseverance, and through multilateral diplomacy, we can solve the most difficult issues and find practical solutions that are effectively implemented”.
IAEA Director General Yukiyo Amano said the relations between Iran and the UN watchdog agency have now entered a new phase, adding: “It is an important day for the international community. I congratulate all those who helped make it a reality.”
Ahead of the developments in Vienna culminating in the announcement of lifting of sanctions, Iran announced the release of four American prisoners under a separately-negotiated swap deal with the US. That included Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who was convicted of espionage – charges that were denied by The Post and the US Government. A fifth American, a student, was freed under a separate process.
On Sunday, the freed Americans were flown to Switzerland. They were to proceed subsequently to a US military hospital in landstuhl, Germany, for medical attention before flying home.
As part of the prisoner swap agreement, the US will either pardon or drop charges against seven Iranians, who have been convicted or accused of violating the US sanctions on Iran. Additionally, the US has agreed to drop Interpol “red notices” for the arrest of 14 Iranian fugitives.
The dramatic progress notwithstanding, the Obama administration is facing strident criticism from the Republicans with a host of presidential hopefuls leading the charge against President Obama.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump said while the US is getting back its citizens who ought not to have been arrested in the first place, Iran is not only getting seven people but also about $150 billion as a result of the lifting of sanctions. Other candidates also attacked the Obama administration over the concessions.