Interim Iran Nuclear Deal Goes Into Effect

Iran Spokesman: Deal Our Most Important Commitment

On Monday morning, the Iran nuclear deal with the P5+1 goes into effect, starting a six month interim agreement period for negotiating a final agreement on their civilian nuclear program.

The deal obliges Iran to limit its civilian enrichment program and dilute its remnant stockpile of 20 percent uranium, which Iran atomic department spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi termed the nation’s “most important commitments.”

The deal also requires the international community to unfreeze certain of Iran’s overseas assets and not impose any new sanctions on the nation. Though 5 of the P5+1 nations seem fine with that, the United States may be an obstacle.

The US Senate is still facing a possible vote on imposing new sanctions on Iran, with the explicit goal of violating the deal and ending the talks. At present, the Senate has not scheduled the vote, and the Obama Administration has promised to veto the bill if it passes. Still, with strong backing from Israeli lobbying groups like AIPAC, a veto-proof majority remains a dangerous possibility, and one which threatens to derail the interim pact just as it is getting under way.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.