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Iran agrees to curb nuclear activity at Geneva talks | Iran agrees to curb nuclear activity at Geneva talks |
(35 minutes later) | |
Iran has agreed to curb some of its nuclear activities in return for about $7bn (£4.3bn) in sanctions relief, after days of intense talks in Geneva. | Iran has agreed to curb some of its nuclear activities in return for about $7bn (£4.3bn) in sanctions relief, after days of intense talks in Geneva. |
US President Barack Obama welcomed the deal, saying it included "substantial limitations which will help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon". | US President Barack Obama welcomed the deal, saying it included "substantial limitations which will help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon". |
Iran agreed to give better access to inspectors and halt some of its work on uranium enrichment. | Iran agreed to give better access to inspectors and halt some of its work on uranium enrichment. |
President Hassan Rouhani said the deal recognised Iran's nuclear "rights". | President Hassan Rouhani said the deal recognised Iran's nuclear "rights". |
But he repeated, in a nationwide broadcast, that his country would never seek a nuclear weapon. | But he repeated, in a nationwide broadcast, that his country would never seek a nuclear weapon. |
Tehran denies repeated claims by Western governments that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. It insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium to use in power stations. | Tehran denies repeated claims by Western governments that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. It insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium to use in power stations. |
The deal comes just months after Iran elected Mr Rouhani - regarded as a relative moderate - as its new president, in place of the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | The deal comes just months after Iran elected Mr Rouhani - regarded as a relative moderate - as its new president, in place of the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. |
After four days of negotiations, representatives of the so-called P5+1 group of nations - the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany - reached an agreement with Iran in the early hours of Sunday. | After four days of negotiations, representatives of the so-called P5+1 group of nations - the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany - reached an agreement with Iran in the early hours of Sunday. |
The specifics of the deal have yet to be released, but negotiators indicated the broad outlines: | The specifics of the deal have yet to be released, but negotiators indicated the broad outlines: |
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the agreement would make the region safer for its allies, including Israel. | US Secretary of State John Kerry said the agreement would make the region safer for its allies, including Israel. |
But the Israeli government criticised the deal and said Israel did not feel bound by it. | But the Israeli government criticised the deal and said Israel did not feel bound by it. |
"This is a bad agreement that gives Iran what it wanted: the partial lifting of sanctions while maintaining an essential part of its nuclear programme," said a statement issued by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. | "This is a bad agreement that gives Iran what it wanted: the partial lifting of sanctions while maintaining an essential part of its nuclear programme," said a statement issued by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. |
The Israeli comments came as it was revealed that the US and Iran had held a series of face-to-face talks over the past year that were kept secret even from their allies. | The Israeli comments came as it was revealed that the US and Iran had held a series of face-to-face talks over the past year that were kept secret even from their allies. |
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was an opportunity for the "removal of any doubts about the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme". | Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was an opportunity for the "removal of any doubts about the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme". |
But he insisted that Iran had not given up its right to enrich uranium. | But he insisted that Iran had not given up its right to enrich uranium. |
"We believe that the current agreement, the current plan of action as we call it, in two distinct places has a very clear reference to the fact that Iranian enrichment programme will continue and will be a part of any agreement, now and in the future," he said. | "We believe that the current agreement, the current plan of action as we call it, in two distinct places has a very clear reference to the fact that Iranian enrichment programme will continue and will be a part of any agreement, now and in the future," he said. |
The US denied any such right had been conceded, while UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the agreement was "good news for the whole world". | |
'Significant agreement' | 'Significant agreement' |
The US state department gave more details of the deal, insisting that most sanctions would remain in place. | The US state department gave more details of the deal, insisting that most sanctions would remain in place. |
Restrictions on Iran's petrochemical exports and some other sectors would be suspended, bringing in $1.5bn in revenue. | Restrictions on Iran's petrochemical exports and some other sectors would be suspended, bringing in $1.5bn in revenue. |
But Mr Obama warned that if Iran fail to keep its commitments, "we will turn off the relief and ratchet up the pressure". | But Mr Obama warned that if Iran fail to keep its commitments, "we will turn off the relief and ratchet up the pressure". |
This deal may be the most significant agreement between the world powers and Iran for a decade, says the BBC's James Reynolds in Geneva. | This deal may be the most significant agreement between the world powers and Iran for a decade, says the BBC's James Reynolds in Geneva. |
Negotiators had been working since Wednesday to reach an agreement that was acceptable to both sides. | Negotiators had been working since Wednesday to reach an agreement that was acceptable to both sides. |
As hopes of a deal grew stronger, foreign ministers of the P5+1 joined them in Geneva. | As hopes of a deal grew stronger, foreign ministers of the P5+1 joined them in Geneva. |
But it only became clear that a breakthrough had been made in Geneva shortly before 03:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Sunday. | But it only became clear that a breakthrough had been made in Geneva shortly before 03:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Sunday. |