Iran’s top leader expresses ‘pessimism’ after nuclear deal

Earlier Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said his country won’t trust a country like the USA “for the sake of a nuclear deal”. He did not elaborate.

WASHINGTON, United States – The United States on Sunday announced new sanctions linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program, just a day after sanctions targeting its nuclear program were lifted. Republicans have been critical of Obama’s decision to delay pressing Iran on other fronts – including ballistic missile tests, support for terrorism and the brief capture of 10 US sailors who had wandered into Iranian waters last week – while Iran worked to comply with the the nuclear deal. Washington maintains separate, less comprehensive sanctions on Iran over its missile programme.

 Other Americans released were dual Iranian-American citizens Amir Hekmati, a former US Marine arrested in Iran in 2011, and Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor from Idaho. For Fresno Businessman, and Iranian immigrant Ali Nekumanesh the end of sanctions will help the people of Iran.

Noting that the USA has never been afraid to pursue diplomacy with adversaries, Obama said he decided that a strong, confident America could advance its national security by engaging directly with the Iranian government.

Hopes for a broader rapprochement between the two countries were dashed on Sunday when Washington slapped new sanctions on companies accused of supporting Iran’s ballistic missile programme, drawing an angry response from Iranian officials.

They say it was the economic sanctions, many of which are now being lifted as part of the deal, that hit the 80 million who live in Iran the hardest.

The three later left Geneva and arrived in Germany, according to a U.S. State Department official.

“The prisoner exchange, Iran’s dutiful implementation of its nuclear obligations, and the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions all herald a new era of US-Iran relations”, Kayvon Afshari, council spokesman, said in an email on Sunday. Western governments hailed the announcement as a milestone though some critics, including Israel, alleged that Tehran was still seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.

The White House said its lawyers assessed that the USA could have faced a “significantly higher judgment” if the case continued and Obama said there “was no benefit to the U.S.in dragging this out”. This will give the agency’s inspectors more powers since Iran must provide access to suspect sites within 24 days.