ANKARA
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said a nuclear deal sealed with world powers in the Austrian capital of Vienna will open "new horizons" now that "this unnecessary crisis" has been resolved.
“Today, we are at an important juncture in the history of our country and our revolution and the situation in the region,” Rouhani said in a televised speech Tuesday.
"There can now be a focus on shared challenges," Rouhani said, adding that “Iran will honor the agreement, if the other sides abide by it."
Rouhani noted that the pact was a ‘win-win agreement’ and that the sanctions regime was “never successful” in affecting Iran’s nuclear program. "It only affected ordinary people," he said.
“A new page has been turned and a new chapter has begun,” he said, adding the deal will be a “starting point” for trust between Tehran and the world.
Expressing his full satisfaction with the deal, Rouhani noted: "The month of Ramadan brings us blessings. Many people prayed for the nuclear talks team during Ramadan; their prayers have been answered."
Rouhani pointed out that all of Iran's objectives were obtained in the deal. There were many concessions that he felt Iran had received. "Iran will keep more than 6,000 centrifuges, including 5,000 at Natanz and more than 1,000 at Fordow. Initially, the world powers wanted Iran to have only 1,000 centrifuges," he said.
"Now the world knows that we do not seek to build a nuclear bomb; the false views that have been spread about us have been overturned," he added.
About the sanctions on Iran, the Iranian president said: “Upon implementation of the deal, all sanctions will be lifted, not suspended. Otherwise, there was no need for an 18-day round-the-clock [meeting]."
Iran has always denied that it was trying to create nuclear weapons. Under the deal, Iran will be recognized by the United Nations as a nuclear technology power in possession of a peaceful nuclear program which includes the complete uranium enrichment cycle.
Since his election in 2013, Rouhani has sought to end the 13-year-old standoff with Western governments over Iran's controversial nuclear programme -- and with it the sanctions that have paralysed Iran's economy.
Iran, IAEA agree on roadmap to resolve nuclear issues
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have agreed on a roadmap to resolve Iran's nuclear issue, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced Tuesday.
"Just now, Iran and the IAEA agree to accelerate cooperation with aim to fully resolve all prior issues," Rouhani tweeted from his official account (@HassanRouhani).
The IAEA confirmed the agreement with Iran. “IAEA & Iran signed today a ‘Road-map for clarification of past & present outstanding issues regarding Iran's #nuclear program’,” the IAEA tweeted from its official account (@iaeaorg).
Both Twitter accounts also posted pictures from the official signing ceremony held in the Austrian city of Vienna.
Yukiya Amano, director-general IAEA, also addressed a press conference in front of the hotel where the nuclear talks are being held. "This is a significant step forward," Amano said.
He said that the IAEA and Ali Akbar Salehi, Iranian vice-president and president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, signed the “Road-map for the Clarification of Past and Present Outstanding Issues regarding Iran's Nuclear Program."
He added that a final assessment about possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear activities would be completed by Dec. 15, 2015.
He also clarified that the IAEA had made a separate agreement with Iran over the country's Parchin military site.
According to Iran’s news agency IRNA, Salehi said that the agreement was within the red lines specified by Iran.
Later, the International Atomic Energy Agency released an official statement on its website detailing the 10 points agreed in the roadmap between both sides:
“1. The IAEA and Iran agreed on a separate arrangement that would allow them to address the remaining outstanding issues, as set out in the annex of the 2011 Director’s General report (GOV/2011/65). Activities undertaken and the outcomes achieved to date by Iran and the IAEA regarding some of the issues will be reflected in the process.
2. Iran will provide, by 15 August 2015, its explanations in writing and related documents to the IAEA, on issues contained in the separate arrangement mentioned in paragraph 1.
3. After receiving Iran’s written explanations and related documents, the IAEA will review this information by 15 September 2015, and will submit to Iran questions on any possible ambiguities regarding such information.
4. After the IAEA has submitted to Iran questions on any possible ambiguities regarding such information, technical-expert meetings, technical measures, as agreed in a separate arrangement, and discussions will be organized in Tehran to remove such ambiguities.
5. Iran and the IAEA agreed on another separate arrangement regarding the issue of Parchin.
6. All activities, as set out above, will be completed by 15 October 2015, aimed at resolving all past and present outstanding issues, as set out in the annex of the 2011 Director General’s report (GOV/2011/65).
7. The Director General will provide regular updates to the Board of Governors on the implementation of this Road-map.
8. By 15 December 2015, the Director General will provide, for action by the Board of Governors, the final assessment on the resolution of all past and present outstanding issues, as set out in the annex of the 2011 Director General’s report (GOV/2011/65). A wrap up technical meeting between Iran and the Agency will be organized before the issuance of the report.
9. Iran stated that it will present, in writing, its comprehensive assessment to the IAEA on the report by the Director General.
10. In accordance with the Framework for Cooperation, the Agency will continue to take into account Iran’s security concerns.”
