Iran nuclear deal concluded for first time in 13 years

International negotiations aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear weapons development have been concluded in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday. Six major countries (five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council + Germany or P+1) including the U.S. finalized and signed on Tuesday morning the agreement amounting to 100 pages, which calls for Iran’s halting of nuclear weapons development, and the international community’s lifting of economic and military sanctions against the Middle East country.

As a result, the nuclear crisis that started soon after Iran’s secretive uranium enrichment facilities were revealed to the international community in August 2002 is facing a significant turning point for the first time in nearly 13 years. Also, the international community will likely to significantly increase pressure on North Korea, which seeks to develop nuclear weapons independently.

According to Reuters, under the final agreement, the U.N. decided to immediately lift the embargo on conventional weapons export by Iran, which has been in place due to a 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution. In return, Iran decided to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspection of its military facilities, something that it had constantly opposed citing "sovereign right."

Notably, Reuters reported that the draft agreement included a provision suggesting that IAEA would pay a visit once to detonator testing facilities in Parchin in central Iran, which Iran had been denying access by classifying them as military facilities, and that Teheran will allow its scientists involved in nuclear programs to meet with IAEA. .

It has been decided that the international community’s economic and financial sanctions will be lifted as soon as IAEA’s inspection of military facilities clearly reveals that such facilities have nothing to do with nuclear weapons development by year’s end. Local media predicted that financial sanctions, which Iran demanded immediate lifting, will remain in effect for at least five months.

Parties that had successfully drafted the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a provisional agreement, in Rozanne, Switzerland on April 2 this year, and held overnight marathon talks, passing the agreed deadline of June 30 three times through Monday, before reaching the historic agreement.

kyle@donga.com