Negotiations on Iran nuclear deal framework

The ministers of foreign affairs of France, Germany, the European Union, Iran, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as Chinese and Russian diplomats announcing the framework for a Comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme (Lausanne, 2 April 2015).

Nuclear program of Iran

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The ministers of foreign affairs of the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France, China, the European Union and Iran (Lausanne, 30 March 2015).

Federica Mogherini (High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs) and Mohammad Javad Zarif (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran) presenting the framework agreement after the multilateral negotiations in Lausanne (2 April 2015).

Negotiations on Iran nuclear deal framework were a series of meetings held from 26 March to 2 April 2015 in Lausanne between the foreign ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France, China (P5+1), the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran aimed at reaching an agreement over the Iranian controversial nuclear activities. On 2 April the talks came to a conclusion and a press conference was held by Federica Mogherini, (High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs) and Mohammad Javad Zarif (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran) to announce that the eight nations had reached an agreement on a framework deal. The final details of this deal have to be worked out by 30 June 2015.^[1][2][3]

Announcing the framework, Foreign Minister Zarif stated: "No agreement has been reached so we do not have any obligation yet. Nobody has obligations now other than obligations that we already undertook under the Joint Plan of Action that we adopted in Geneva in November 2013."^[4]

Agreement details

According to the joint statement in Switzerland, the E3+3 countries and Iran agreed on a framework for a deal. According to this framework, Iran would redesign, convert, and reduce its nuclear facilities and accept the Additional Protocol (with provisional application) in order to lift all nuclear-related economical sanctions.^[5] In addition to the joint statement, the United States and Iran issued fact sheets of their own.^[6]

The joint statement

The joint statement outlines the following:^[5]

Enrichment

• Iran's enrichment capacity, enrichment level and stockpile will be limited for specified durations.
• There will be no other enrichment facility than Natanz.
• Iran is allowed to research and development on centrifuges with an agreed scope and schedule.
• Fordow, the underground enrichment center,^[7] will be converted to a "nuclear, physics and technology centre".

Reprocessing

• The Heavy Water facility in Arak with help of international venture will be redesigned and modernized to "Heavy Water Research Reactor" with no weapon grade plutonium byproducts.
• The spent fuel will be exported, there will be no reprocessing.

Monitoring

• Implementation of the modified Code 3.1 and provisional application of the Additional Protocol.
• Iran agreed IAEA procedure which enhanced access by modern technologies to clarify past and present issues.

Sanctions

When the the IAEA verifies Iran's implementation of its key nuclear commitments:

• The EU will terminate all nuclear-related economic sanctions.
• The United States will cease the application of all nuclear-related secondary economic and financial sanctions.
• The UN Security Council will endorse this agreement with a resolution which terminates all previous nuclear-related resolutions and incorporate certain restrictive measures for a mutually agreed period of time.

Other listed parameters by the United States and Iran

In addition to the final statement, both the United States and Iran have made public more detailed descriptions of their agreement. Officials of both sides acknowledged that they have different narratives on this draft.^[6] The U.S. government has published a fact sheet summarizing the main points of the deal.^[8] Shortly after it was published, top Iranian officials, including the Iranian supreme leader and the Iranian minister of defense have disputed the document on key points which remain unresolved.^[9][10][11]

Enrichment

According to details of the deal published by the US government, Iran has accepted to not build any new facilities for the aim of enrichment and reduce its current stockpile to 300 kg of 3.67 percent low-enriched uranium during 15 years and limit the enriched uranium to 3.67 percent for at least this duration, restrict to 6,104 installed centrifuges under the deal, with only 5,060 of these enriching uranium for 10 years.^[12] This amount of enrichment - namely 3.67% - would be enough just for peaceful and civil use to power parts of country and therefore is not sufficient for building a nuclear bomb.^[13]

According to press TV report based on Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran's extra centrifuges and the related infrastructure in the Natanz facility will be collected by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in order to be replaced by new machines consistent with the allowed standards. Iran will be allowed to allocate the current stockpile of enriched materials for the purpose of producing nuclear fuel or swapping it with uranium in the international markets. These comprehensive solutions permit Iran to continue its enrichment program inside its territory and also allowed to continue its production of nuclear fuel for running its nuclear power plants.^[14]

Fordow

According to the U.S. State Department fact sheet, Iran has agreed to convert its Fordow facility into a nuclear physics, technology research center, and to not conduct research and development associated with uranium enrichment at Fordow for 15 years.^[12] According to the joint statement by Iran and the EU, the Fordow nuclear facility will be turned into a research center for nuclear science and physics and about half of the Fordow facility would be dedicated to advanced nuclear research and production of stable isotopes which have important applications in industry, agriculture and medicine. Iran would maintain more than 1,000 centrifuges for this purpose.^[14]

Sanctions

According to Press TV, the implementation of JCPOA followed by lifting of all the UN Security Council sanctions as well as all economic and financial embargoes by the US and the European Union imposed on Iran's banks, insurance, investment, and all other related services in different fields, including petrochemical, oil, gas and automobile industries will be immediately lifted all at once.^[14] However, according to the fact sheet which is published by the US government, U.S. and E.U. nuclear-related sanctions will be suspended after the IAEA has verified the implementation of the key nuclear-related steps by Iran.^[12]

Inspections and Transparency

Iran will be required to provide the International Atomic Energy Agency access to all of its declared facilities so that the agency can ensure about peaceful nuclear program.^[13] According to published details of the deal which is published by the U.S. government, IAEA inspectors would have access to all of the nuclear facilities including enrichment facilities, the supply chain that supports the nuclear program and uranium mines as well as continuous surveillance at uranium mills, centrifuge rotors and bellows production and storage facilities. Iran will be required to grant access to the IAEA to investigate suspicious sites or allegations of a covert enrichment facility, conversion facility, centrifuge production facility, or yellowcake production facility anywhere in the country. Iran will implement an agreed set of measures to address the IAEA’s concerns regarding the Possible Military Dimensions (PMD) of its program.^[12]

According to the Iranian fact sheet, Iran will implement the Additional Protocol temporarily and voluntarily in line with its confidence-building measures and after that the protocol will be ratified in a time frame by the Iranian government and parliament (Majlis).^[14]

Summary of Lausanne Accord

International reactions

International Organization

 United Nations –Ban Ki-moon the Secretary-General of the United Nations welcomed this agreement.^[18] «A comprehensive, negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue will contribute to peace and stability in the region.» he said.^[19]

Yukiya Amano the direct General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), whit the release a manifest welcomed the compromise.«The IAEA welcomes the announcement by E3+3 [the 5+1 group] and Iran on the key parameters for a joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.» Yukiaya Amano said in his manifest.^[20]

Governments

 Iran – Iran's President Hassan Rouhani welcomed the development on Twitter.^[21] He said the nuclear agreement is just a step toward interaction with the world and all those countries that want to respect the Iranian nation.^[22] One week after Lausanne negotiations, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, explained his idea about the negotiations. He neither accept nor reject the framework deal and stated that: "nothing has happened yet." About sanctions, he proclaimed all sanctions must be completely lift on the day of the nuclear deal is signed.^[23][24][25]

 United States – President Barack Obama said a "historic understanding" had been reached with Iran.^[4] also Barack Obama pointed out that the deal with Iran is a good deal such that this deal could meet core objectives of United States.^[26]Hillary Clinton knows the agreement for now diplomacy deserve a chance to succeed.^[27]

 Russia – Sergey Lavrov Foreign Minister of Russia knew this agreement a positive point in the security of Middle East.^[28]

 United Kingdom – Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that the framework agreement with Iran was well beyond what many thought possible even 18 months earlier.^[29]

 Germany – German Chancellor Angela Merkel pointed out that the agreement is a great credit to all negotiating partners.^[27]

 Oman – Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah welcomed the framework deal between the Group 5+1 framework deal with Iran on its nuclear programme describing it "an historic agreement". He urged all sides to work out a final agreement before 30 June deadline.^[30]

 Italy –Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that we are convinced that this last agreement could have positive consequences and effects both with Iran and also for developments in other crisis areas.^[27]

South Korea – welcomed this framework for nuclear deal.^[31]

Saudi Arabia – the Saudi Press Agency reported Salman of Saudi Arabia «expressed his hope that reaching a final binding deal would strengthen the stability and security of the region and the world.»^[32]

 Israel – Benjamin Netanyahu does not like the framework and claims that the current plan of action threatens Israel.^[33][34][35]Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that any final deal include a "clear and unambiguous Iranian recognition of Israel's right to exist."^[36][37]

 Pakistan  – The spokewoman of foreign ministry of Pakistan, hoped that the negotiations between Iran and the six world powers would come to a favorable result.^[38]

 Holy See  – Pope Francis praised the deal in his Easter Urbi et Orbi blessing message on Sunday, April 5, 2015, saying: "... At the same time, in hope we entrust to the merciful Lord the framework recently agreed to in Lausanne, that it may be a definitive step toward a more secure and fraternal world. ..."^[39]

See also

• Comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear program
• Nuclear program of Iran
• Timeline of the nuclear program of Iran
• Views on the nuclear program of Iran
• P5+1

External links

• The Joint Statement

Notes and references