Iran says it has removed core of reactor, key to nuke deal

Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that Iran will likely be in compliance within days.

KERRY: Implementation day, which is the day on which Iran proves that it has sufficiently downsized its nuclear program and can begin to receive sanctions relief, is going to take place very soon, likely within the next coming days somewhere.

Kerry had been in contact with his Iranian counterpart Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, asking him to intervene to help bring about the sailors’ release.

Kirby’s remarks come as the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said the calandria of the Arak heavy water reactor has been removed and cemented.

USA sailors are seen in an undisclosed location in Iran in this handout picture released on Farsnews website on January 13, 2016.

At the beginning of August Iran declared the United States to be in material breach of the agreement based on a hypothetical statement that White House Spokesperson Josh Earnest made.

Kerry left Washington Wednesday evening to meet al-Jubeir in London.

Not everyone is happy with the new friendship between the once hostile foes. Defense Secretary Ash Carter thanked Kerry for his efforts. Let’s learn from this example, Zarif added.

Under the deal reached last summer, the heavy-water reactor is to be re-engineered so that it produces only minute amounts of plutonium, like enriched uranium a potential pathway to nuclear arms.

The record, however, has been mixed. Should the deal fail, sanctions could be reimposed just as Iran’s nuclear work could return to unchecked development.

An Iranian commander claims that while the crisis was ongoing, Iran had missiles locked on the U.S.S. Truman aircraft carrier and threatened a “catastrophe” against US forces.

“There were some concerns, including political and military consequences of the issue, and the government officials were also anxious about its affect on the nuclear deal and its implementation”, one of the Iranian officials said.

Conscious of these perceptions, the administration moved warily into the Saudi-Iran spat that erupted over New Year’s weekend.

The fate of broader U.S.-Iran cooperation rests on whether or not the JCPOA is successfully implemented.

The EU said that the suspension would allow for “continuous preparations” for the implementation of the July deal and lifting of the sanctions. And unlike previous efforts, Washington now believes uniting Assad and rebels in a unity government is critical for defeating the Islamic State.

Also unknown is how determined major Western firms, in particular, will be given the risk of “snapback” sanctions if Iran violates the deal and the history of USA penalties against European banks that have previously conducted business with Iran.

After a series of follow-up conversations with Carter, Dunford and Rice, Kerry spoke to Zarif again at 2:00 p.m., followed by another call around 3:15 p.m. It was during that second call that Zarif told Kerry he was getting indications from those holding the sailors that they would be released at some point after dawn, and were being fed and well treated. USA officials lost touch with the vessels, which ended up in Iranian waters, near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf.

The official said that in Kerry’s many conversations with Zarif, he focused on one main message: “If we were able to do this in the right way, we can make this into what will be a good story for both of us”.