Five things you should know about the Iran nuclear deal
The final text of the deal reached Tuesday in Vienna, Austria has not been officially released yet, although details are widely available.
After 18 days of intense and often fractious negotiation, world powers and Iran struck a landmark deal Tuesday to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions in an agreement designed to avert the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and another U.S. military intervention in the Muslim world.
Carlos Barria/AP
After nearly two years of heated debate, world leaders led by the US and Iran have reached an agreement that will significantly limit Iran鈥檚 nuclear program in exchange for lifting international nuclear-related sanctions.
In a speech, President Obama said the deal 鈥渋s not built on trust, it is built on verification鈥� 鈥� an important distinction for those who are wary of making deals with Iran, reports .
The final text of the deal has not been officially released yet. Representatives from the US, Iran, and other nations are completing their final meetings after an 18-day negotiation marathon held in Vienna, Austria, . But聽details of the agreement are now widely available.
Here are five things you should know about the Iran nuclear deal:
Iran will reduce its nuclear program. The country has long insisted that its nuclear program is for for energy purposes only. The new deal will ensure that Iran uses it for exactly that. , "the accord will keep Iran from producing enough material for an atomic weapon for at least 10 years." This includes reducing by roughly two-thirds its number of centrifuges and cutting down its current stockpile of low enriched uranium by 98 percent, . However, American officials acknowledge that the "breakout time" (time it would take Iran to make enough material for a bomb) would begin to shrink after the first decade.听
Economic sanctions on Iran will be lifted in phases. International sanctions on Iran have crippled its economy and its current president, Hassan Rouhani, was elected in 2013 on a platform of trying to lift sanctions. Under the agreement, experts must verify Iran is sticking to its commitments before US and European nuclear-related sanctions are lifted.听Measures put in place by the UN were designed to 鈥渂lock the transfer of weapons, components, technology, and dual-use items to Iran鈥檚 prohibited nuclear and missile programs鈥� and 鈥渢o target select sectors of the Iranian economy relevant to its proliferation activities,鈥�
The United Nations will maintain its arms embargo on Iran, for now. , Iran has agreed to the continuation of a UN arms embargo for up to five more years, but it could end earlier if the IAEA finds irrefutable evidence that Iran is not engaging in any work on nuclear weapons.
Not everyone is celebrating the deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the deal as a 鈥渕istake of historic proportions.鈥� , he said 鈥淚ran is going to receive a sure path to nuclear weapons. Many of the restrictions that were supposed to prevent it from getting there will be lifted.鈥�
There鈥檚 a possibility Congress will say 鈥榥o.鈥� Support for the deal on Capitol Hill is mixed, with some concerned about ending the arms embargo. But President Obama has warned Congress that it would be irresponsible to block the accord. 鈥淣o deal means a greater chance of more war in the Middle East," Obama said Tuesday,聽.听