US, EU Lift Sanctions Against Iran Amid Landmark Nuclear Deal

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, on what is expected to be "implementation day," the day the Inte... U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, on what is expected to be "implementation day," the day the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verifies that Iran has met all conditions under the nuclear deal. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

VIENNA (AP) — The U.N. nuclear agency certified Saturday that Iran has met all of its commitments under last summer’s landmark nuclear deal, crowning years of U.S.-led efforts to crimp Iran’s ability to make atomic weapons. For Iran, the move lifts Western economic sanctions that have been in place for years, unlocking access to $100 billion in frozen assets and unleashing new opportunities for its battered economy.

“The multinational economic and financial sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program are lifted,” Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said in a joint statement also read in Farsi by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif.

President Barack Obama signed executive orders lifting economic sanctions on Iran and Mogherini said the EU had lifted its nuclear-related sanctions as well.

“This historic deal is both strong and fair, and it meets the requirements of all,” Mogherini declared, saying it serves to “improve regional and international peace, security and stability.”

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who led the last years of negotiations with Zarif that culminated in the July 14 deal, confirmed that the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy could verify that “Iran has fully implemented its required commitments.”

“Relations between Iran and the IAEA now enter a new phase,” said IAEA director general Yukiya Amano. “It is an important day for the international community.”

Progress also came Saturday on another area of Iran-U.S. tensions: U.S. and Iranian officials announced that Iranwas releasing four detained Iranian-Americans in exchange for seven Iranians held or charged in the United States.

U.S. officials said the four — Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati, pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari — were to be flown from Iran to Switzerland on a Swiss plane and then brought to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, for medical treatment.

In return, the U.S. will either pardon or drop charges against seven Iranians — six of them dual citizens — accused or convicted of violating U.S. sanctions. The U.S. will also drop Interpol “red notices” — essentially arrest warrants — on a handful of Iranian fugitives it has sought.

Rezaian is a dual Iran-U.S. citizen convicted of espionage by Iran in a closed-door trial in 2015. The Post and the U.S. government have denied the accusations, as has Rezaian.

The publisher of The Washington Post says he “couldn’t be happier” to hear that Rezaian had been released fromIran’s Evin Prison on Saturday. Publisher Frederick J. Ryan Jr. said more information would be available once he can confirm Rezaian has safely left Iran. Rezaian had been held more than 543 days on espionage and related charges.

U.S. officials say a fifth American detained in Iran, a student, has been released in a move unrelated to a prisoner swap earlier between the two countries. They said the student, identified as Matthew Trevithick, was released independently of the exchange and already was on his way home.

The landmark Iran nuclear agreement, struck after decades of hostility, defused the likelihood of U.S. or Israeli military action against Iran, something Zarif alluded to.

“Our region has been freed from shadow of an unnecessary conflict that could have caused concerns for the region,” he said. “Today is also a good day for the world. Today will prove that we can solve important problems through diplomacy.”

Iran insists all of its nuclear activities are peaceful. But under the July 14 deal, it agreed to crimp programs which could be used to make nuclear weapons in return for an end to sanctions. The agreement puts Iran’s various nuclear activities under IAEA watch for up to 15 years, with an option to re-impose sanctions should Tehran break its commitments.

___

Associated Press Writer Ali Akbar Dareini contributed from Tehran

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Here is the only bright spot in Obama’s 8 years of b.s. cowardly lies. This is a significant change, long overdue, never was deserved in the first place, but then again, that’s another story. Removal of sanctions is a huge step forward to achieving Middle East peace. But, do I expect any peace is achievable, given Obama’s support, funding and arming of all the fascist players: Saudi Arabia and Israel, and not to forget Turkey and ISIS who Obama and Erdogan also fund, arm and support using Turkey as the proxy in that criminal conspiracy?

  2. Excuse me?

    Edit: (I think this person could really be Sarah Palin or Ben Carson, based on the logic)

  3. Golly, OmAhHum, you’re going way beyond the glass being half-empty, doncha think?

    This is a wonderful day, one that I didn’t think was possible, what with all the forces lined up against it in both countries and beyond.

  4. What planet are you on? Not this one, that’s for sure.

  5. This is what we’re gong to hear about this week–how we gave up sanctions for nothing. We’re not going to hear about successes in getting our sailors released or the release of Iranian-Americans from Iranian prisons.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

66 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for george_c Avatar for overreach_this Avatar for jw1 Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for feathered_head Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for mymy Avatar for deckbose Avatar for chammy Avatar for mh26 Avatar for randyabraham Avatar for cvilledem Avatar for upwitoulz Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for sherlock1 Avatar for bonvivant Avatar for sonsofares Avatar for addicted4444 Avatar for musgrove Avatar for dadzilla Avatar for azjude Avatar for misterneutron Avatar for professorpoopypants

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: