Iran’s parliament approves nuclear deal with world powers

The Islamic Republic of Iran News Network reported the ratification but devoted more attention to what appeared to be an underground missile facility.

Sanctions on Iranian oil exports and other parts of the economy resulted in an economic contraction of 5.8 percent in 2012-13.

State TV says the Guardian Council, one of the top leadership bodies in Iran’s cleric-ruled system, gave final approval to a bill passed by parliament to implement the deal.

The 12-member group of senior clerics’ okay followed passage by Iran’s Parliament on Tuesday.

A few council “members raised objections to the bill and found it contrary to the constitution”. ‘At the end, a majority of the council members voted that the parliamentary legislation is not against the constitution and Shariah law’.

Hard-liners had hoped to stall the deal in order to weaken Rouhani’s moderate administration ahead of February’s parliamentary elections.

The bill grants responsibility for implementing the deal to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the top security body of the country, which President Hassan Rouhani heads.

The bill allows Iran to withdraw from the agreement if billions of dollars in sanctions are not lifted.

Under the deal, Iran will curb its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of Western sanctions. That left Iran to approve the deal, which came after almost two years of negotiations between it and the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.

But last month US President Barack Obama secured enough votes in the Senate to ensure that the agreement with Iran can not be blocked by Congress. Lawmakers have until September 17 to vote on it.

“According to the European Council on Foreign Relations” reading of the deal, the accord is expected to be adopted on October. 19, or “Adoption Day.’ That would mark 90 days since the United Nations Security Council signed off on the deal”.