Iran’s Rouhani: Sanctions to be Lifted Soon

As part of the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed to formally end the investigation. “The decision by the Board of Governors today… will open a new chapter for cooperation between Iran and the agency”, Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, told reporters after the resolution was passed by consensus unopposed.

The investigation’s closure comes despite the fact that earlier this month, the IAEA published a report revealing that Tehran did indeed have a nuclear weapons program at least through 2003.

Although the section of the July 20 resolution applying to missiles is weaker and more limited than the total ban in resolution 1929, USA officials have said they will continue to act as if there were a de facto total ban on ballistic missile tests by Iran in the years to come once the nuclear deal is implemented. Once the IAEA has verified that a series of restrictions on its Tehran’s atomic activities are in place, global sanctions that have buffeted the Iranian economy will be lifted.

Diplomats say it is possible for the United Nations sanctiosn committee to blacklist additional Iranian individuals or entities.

That roadmap granted the IAEA increased access to key materials and facilities in Iran throughout the fall, and led to a December 2 agency report which found Tehran had conducted activities consistent with weaponization work over the course of several years. The report is the result of IAEA efforts to clarify issues with PMDs to Iran’s nuclear program, and was prepared in response to 12 areas of concern Amano reported to the board in November 2011.

At the same time, he noted that, with his agency charged with monitoring Iran’s commitments under a deal that extends for more than a decade, “much work needs to be done in the future”. Although Iran has warned the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that ending the enquiry would encourage Iran to re start development of Nuclear weapons.

While noting that significant progress has been made on the Iran nuclear issue, he cautioned that now is not the time to relax.

The resolution, which was adopted in 2010, stipulates that Tehran can not “undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using ballistic missile technology”.

Harking back to standard language from Washington, he said the United Nations agency’s assessment was not surprising, considering “Iran’s long history of concealment, denial and deception”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif insists that none of its missiles are created to carry weapons of mass destruction and that it has no plans to develop such weapons.

Mr Najafi said that process would be completed “within two or three days”.

Iran also violated the United Nations ballistic missile ban with launches in 2012 and 2013, according to the United Nations report.