Obama Says Iran Deal Vindicates Diplomacy Over Military Action

President Obama hailed a deal that led to the
release of five Americans from Iranian custody – including a MA man – as “historic progress through diplomacy”, even as he announced new economic sanctions over Iran’s ballistic missile testing. The U.S. has only removed secondary sanctions that restrict the dealings of other countries with Iran.

In a joint statement, the European Union and Iran said numerous nuclear-related U.S., EU and United Nations sanctions were immediately coming off Iran after it had completed the steps needed to implement last July’s deal.

He also said a settlement between the United States and Iran at The Hague, in which Iran received $400 million in funds frozen since 1981 plus $1.3 billion in interest, would save USA money.

Kerry also said that all of the US claims against Iran at the tribunal had always been settled, “resulting in payments of more than 2.5 billion dollars in awards to USA nationals and companies through that process”.

 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.

The deal comes after more than a year of secret negotiations, the officials said. In addition to the prisoner swap, the USA lifted economic sanctions against Iran as part of the nuclear accord.

The White House said its lawyers assessed that the US 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”. A fifth American was released separately.

“I am delighted that we can, for once in a meeting, welcome a very favourable decision, that is the implementation of the Iranian nuclear agreement, because it can also weigh on the situation in the region”, he said.

“We’ll know if Iran ever tries to break out”. The list included people and companies that were based out of China and the United Arab Emirates that had been serving as a front for Iranian military trafficking.

“We welcome news of the release of Jason Rezaian, who should never have been imprisoned in the first place”, said Sherif Mansour, CPJ Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, in a statement.

Several Americans, unjustly detained by Iran, will be coming home, Obama said.

Donald Trump said the president should “absolutely not” get any credit for securing the release.