Middle East problems should be settled diplomatically – Iranian president

President Barack Obama on Sunday heralded the release of Americans held prisoner in Iran and the full implementation of a historic nuclear accord with the Islamic Republic, holding both up as victories for “smart” diplomacy and fulfillment of his pledge to deal directly with enemies of the United States.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Sunday announced sanctions against 11 companies and individuals for their ties to Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Noting that the United States 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.

Separate from the deal on prisoners, the USA and European Union lifted economic sanctions on Iran after the head of the United Nations nuclear agency affirmed that Iran was in compliance with the landmark nuclear deal reached with six world powers.

As tens of billions of dollars worth of Iranian assets were due to be unfrozen and barriers to worldwide business comedown, the Iranian President said the deal was a “turning point” for the economy of 80 million people.

The Americans released in the deal were Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post reporter; former Marine Amir Hekmati; Saeed Abedini, a pastor; and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari. Iran will be able to access the huge amount of cash it has accumulated overseas from restricted oil sales during the sanctions.

“Iran is the greatest state sponsor of terror in the world”, Pletka said.

The United Arab Emirates-based Mabrooka Trading, and its owner Hossein Pournaghshband, were placed on the US blacklist for helping Iran produce carbon fiber for the missile program. In 1981, the Iran-US Claims tribunal was established in The Hague to settle outstanding debts between the two countries, and Tehran filed a suit demanding the arms payment be returned.

Obama said the third piece resolved this weekend involved the U.S. and Iran settling a financial dispute dating back more than three decades, he said.

“The bottom line is this – whereas Iran was steadily expanding its nuclear program, we’ve now cut off every single path Iran had to building a bomb”, he said. A fifth American, Matthew Trevithick, was released independent of the exchange, his family said in a statement issued through the U.S. Institute of Peace.

A charter plane has left Tehran for Switzerland with the Americans, reports said.