Iran nuclear deal: US imposes new sanctions over missiles

Swiss Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Marc Crevoisier confirmed that the jet that touched down after dark Sunday was the one with the Americans on board.

Obama used his Sunday morning statement from the White House to speak directly to the Iranian people: “We have a rare chance to pursue a new path – a different, better future that delivers progress for both our peoples and the wider world”.

Saboonchi had been convicted of unlawfully exporting goods to Iran in violation of worldwide sanctions and was serving a 2-year sentence.

“There was no benefit to the U.S.is dragging this out”, Obama said.

And he said the detained sailors were released more quickly than they would have been when the enemy countries weren’t in talks. “These prisoners were held unjustly by a regime that continues to threaten the peace and security of the Middle East. Another American, Bob Levinson, still isn’t home with his family”. The discussions were mostly held in Switzerland in secrecy, the official said.

Under the exchange, Washington said it had granted clemency to seven Iranians, six of whom were dual US-Iranian citizens, and dropped charges against 14 more.

The White House said its lawyers assessed that the US could have faced a “significantly higher judgment” if the case continued. Missiles were not part of the nuclear agreement. “I think we have also proven once again why diplomacy has to always be our first choice and war our last resort”.

America and its allies are now relieving Iran of all nuclear-related sanctions, including a European Union oil embargo.

The new sanctions came after four Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, left Tehran following their release in a prisoner swap with the United States.

Iran celebrated the lifting of stiff economic penalties now that the Islamic Republic has met a critical benchmark as part of the agreement to pull back its nuclear program.

Obama also reiterated what he said was proof of the strength of American diplomacy.

But he added that “the revival of German-Iranian economic, and especially financial, relations is a long-term process”.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Implementation Day with a statement saying Iran has signed the deal, but not given up its aspirations for nuclear weapons.

MARTIN: Thomas Erdbrink of The New York Times speaking to us from Tehran.

“The nuclear deal – implemented”.

Iranian President Hasan Rouhani has presented parliament with a draft budget that would reduce the government’s reliance on oil revenues.

The repayment, arranged after an global legal tribunal, is separate from the tens of billions of dollars that Iran can now access after the end of nuclear sanctions.

Oil revenues will make up less than 25 percent of the proposed budget for the next Iranian calendar year that begins March 21, down from 33 percent the previous year. Hekmati’s sister, Sarah; her husband Dr. Ramy Kurdi and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, were to travel to Germany later Sunday to meet him. The rial is now 36,000 to $1. Any new Iranian supply to the market is likely to keep oil prices down.

He described the negotiations as hard, especially as the Iranians made what he said were unacceptable demands.

Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani has moved the Islamic Republic closer to the West in foreign policy terms since his election in 2013.

“The nuclear negotiations which succeeded by the guidance of the Supreme Leader and support of our nation, were truly a golden page in Iran’s history”, he said.