US Believes the Nuclear Deal Will Make the World a Safer Place
As Iran and world powers including the United States truck a historic deal to reduce Iran’s nuclear program, there were questions about whether the world is now safer because of the deal.
In an interview with James Robbins of BBC, Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the question by saying that he believes that even with the interim agreement, it is true. He says the world is a safer place because they have undone Iran’s 20 percent enriched uranium. Iran also reduced their stockpile and they have stopped building Arak.
Secretary Kerry asserted that an Iran without a nuclear weapon is better to deal with than Iran with a nuclear weapon. With the nuclear deal, Iran has decided especially the ayatollah that they’re not going to have nuclear weapon.
Sanctions Relief For Iran
With the agreement with Iran, it will give billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions especially with regards to economy.
The successful negotiation would help ease decades of hostility between Iran and the United States as well.
Western countries have imposed sanctions on Iran when they suspect that Iran is seeking nuclear weapon which Tehran denied many times by saying that its nuclear program is peaceful.
Saudi Arabia and Israel Skeptical About the Negotiation
Secretary Kerry addressed the issue that US allies particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia are skeptical about the agreement.
Secretary Kerry said Israel has been opposed to the agreement from day one.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu was opposed to the interim agreement, which, by the way, worked and which he subsequently said, “Oh, you should continue that.” -Secretary Kerry
But with Saudi Arabia, they simply said that if Iran continues to do the things it’s doing and doesn’t change and live up to this then the agreement doesn’t serve its purpose.
However, the US believes that Iran is going to undertake these steps, because if they don’t, Iran doesn’t get any sanctions relief. And the only way to get economic relief is implement this agreement.
“And with the implementation of the agreement, absolutely the region will be safer, and I think we’ll prove that.” – Secretary Kerry
World Powers and Iran Strike Historic Deal
Earlier this week and after 18 days of the intense negotiation, the diplomats declared that world powers which consist of the United States, France, Britain, China, France, Russia and Iran had struck a landmark deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program. But most importantly, the agreement will stop to the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.
The agreement entails Iran will not continue to enrich uranium under the agreement. Iran in exchange of the agreement will reap benefit of the relief of the international sanctions. UN, EU, and US sanctions will be terminated on implementation day when the IAEA certifies Iran has complied with specified commitments in the agreement.
On Pressuring Iran
The United States and the international community stand shoulder to shoulder in maintaining pressure on the Iranian regime until it fully addresses concerns about its nuclear program.
A total of 20 countries and economies have continued to significantly reduce the volume of their crude oil purchases from Iran or have completely eliminated such purchases.
According to the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration report to Congress, Iran’s oil production fell by one million barrels per day in September and October 2012, compared to the same period in 2011.
US and EU Efforts
In June 2011, the United States of America imposed several sanctions on Iran. The United States imposed sanctions on Tidewater Middle East Company, an operator of Iranian ports owned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that has links to Iranian proliferation activities.
The United States has also imposed sanctions against Iran Air, which was designated for providing material support and services to the IRGC and Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), and also has facilitated proliferation-related activities.
The European Union also imposed sanctions against Iran. The EU bans imports of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products, freeze the assets of the Iranian central bank, and takes additional action against Iran’s energy, financial, and transport sectors.
