Rouhani: All happy about deal except Israel, US hard-liners

Obama had said earlier that the insistence on diplomacy had kept the United States out of “another war”.

President Barack Obama signed an executive order lifting the USA economic sanctions on Iran, the White House announced.

Singapore welcomes the announcement of the implementation of Iran’s nuclear deal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said.

The Secretary-General voiced hope that “the success of this agreement contributes to greater regional and global cooperation for peace, security and stability in the region and beyond”.

“Israel’s policy is exactly as it has been – not to allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons”.

He added: “Israel will continue to monitor Iran’s negative activities and will take all necessary measures to maintain its security and defend itself”.

“All sides remain firmly convinced that this historic deal is both strong and fair, and that it meets the requirements of all”, Mogherini said in Vienna on Saturday in a joint statement with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

“Today is the era of a transition from sanctions to development”, Rouhani was quoted as saying, adding that it requires work, innovation, investment, and grasping the opportunities by all Iranians.

The move opens up Iran’s relationship with worldwide markets as the U.S. formally lifted banking, steel, shipping and other sanctions on Iran, while the European Union began the process of lifting sanctions.

The lifting of sanctions came mere hours after Iran released five USA citizens it had been holding as prisoners, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian.

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond reverberated Kerry’s commentary, stating the allot “Makes the Mideast and the wider world a safer place”. The U.S. will also drop Interpol “red notices” – essentially arrest warrants – on a handful of Iranian fugitives it has sought.

Since before his election in 2013, the moderate leader of the Islamic republic has promised to negotiate away the sanctions, which included an embargo on economically vital oil and gas exports. Most will be lifted immediately.

Billions of dollars of assets will be released and Iranian oil can now be sold internationally, in return for Iran’s compliance on elements of its nuclear program.

“On 16 January 2016, the Council lifted all nuclear-related economic and financial EU sanctions against Iran”, the EU Council announced.