Iran Nuclear Deal Reached, French and Iranian Foreign Ministers Confirm (UPDATE: Deal Doesn’t Recognize Iran’s Right to Enrich Uranium, Official Says)
Story by the Associated Press; curated by Dave Urbanski
UPDATE 10:53 p.m.:
WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior Obama administration official says the
nuclear deal with Iran does not include recognition of Iran’s right to
enrich uranium.
That had been a sticking point in the negotiations between Iran and six world powers, including the United States.
The official says the deal includes an
agreement that Iran will halt progress on its nuclear program, including
a plutonium reactor at the Arak facility. The deal also calls on Iran
to neutralize its 20 percent enriched uranium stockpiles and submit to
intrusive inspections.
The official was not authorized to discuss the terms of the agreement by name and insisted on anonymity.
Original story appears below
GENEVA (AP) — The French and Iranian
foreign ministers said early Sunday that a deal between six world powers
and Iran has been struck that calls on Tehran to limit its nuclear
activities in return for sanctions relief.
Switzerland’s
Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, left, shakes hands with Iranian
Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif, during a meeting at the
Intercontinental Hotel prior to talks about Iran’s nuclear program in
Geneva, Switzerland, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013. (Image source:
AP/Keystone, Martial Trezzini)
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad
Zarif said, “Yes, we have a deal,” as he walked past reporters crowding
the hotel lobby where marathon negotiations had taken place over the
past five days.
Asked if there was a deal, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said “Yes” and gave a thumbs up sign.
The goal had been to hammer out an
agreement to freeze Iran’s nuclear program for six months, while
offering the Iranians limited relief from crippling economic sanctions.
If the interim deal holds, the parties will negotiate final-stage
agreements to ensure Iran does not build nuclear weapons.
The deal came after the personal
intervention by Secretary of State John Kerry and other foreign
ministers whose presence had raised hopes for a breakthrough.
U.S.
Secretary of State John Kerry arrives at Geneva International airport
in Geneva, Switzerland, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013 for the Iran nuclear
talks. (Image source: AP/Denis Balibouse Pool)
Diplomats refused to spell out details of the talks, which dragged on past midnight and into early Sunday.
Here’s report from CNN via YouTube with some commentary broadcast just after the agreement was finalized:
This is breaking news; updates will be added.
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