EU, US lift sanctions against Iran

Following the release of a report confirming that Iran has completed necessary preparatory steps to start the implementation of a plan of action aiming to resolve the nuclear issue, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Saturday welcomed the achievement of having reached “Implementation Day”, highlighting that he is heartened by the lifting of sanctions on Iran.

The announcement about Iran complying with the deal was also made by International Atomic Energy Agency General Yukiya Amano, who said he is also releasing a report on Iran’s actions.

“The “implementation day” of the nuclear agreement ushers us into a new and risky era, in which Iran is freed from most of its economic sanctions, without having to quit its nuclear program or provide explanations for its military activities”, he said in a statement. “It is an important day for the worldwide community”.

Rezaian is a dual Iran-U.S. citizen convicted of espionage by Iran in a closed-door trial in 2015.

The Washington Post, overjoyed at the return of its reporter, Jason Rezaian, agrees, saying that the USA and Iran had “moved into a new era of worldwide relations”. Iran has the fourth largest oil reserves in the world and the energy industry is braced for lower prices.

Kerry said in a brief State Department note that the IAEA has verified that Iran “has fully implemented its required commitments”, adding that the lifting of USA sanctions on Iran can now go forward.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said it was a “glorious victory” for the “patient nation of Iran”. This procedure prevents any of the veto powers which negotiated the accord, such as Russian Federation and China, from blocking any snap-back of Iran sanctions.

By the autumn of 2013, however, secretary of state John Kerry had met his Iranian counterpart and Barack Obama had called Mr Rouhani in what was the first direct communication between a USA and Iranian president since the 1979 Islamic revolution led to the U.S. embassy hostage taking and a diplomatic freeze.

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also said sanctions would be lifted following compliance.

Iran freed a number of American hostages on Saturday prior to the lifting of sanctions.

The resolution places restrictions on transferring nuclear technology to Iran for peaceful purposes for a decade.

Differences between Iran and United States over Tehran’s long term uranium enrichment research plan still need to be resolved, a source told Xinhua on Saturday.

Progress also came Saturday on another area of Iran-U.S. tensions: U.S. and Iranian officials announced that Iran was releasing four detained Iranian-Americans in exchange for seven Iranians held or charged in the United States. In July, Iran and world powers reached the JCPOA, entrusting the IAEA with verifying and monitoring Tehran’s commitments under the nuclear deal.