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Hard-Liners in Iran Offer Mild Praise for Completed Interim Nuclear Agreement Hard-Liners in Iran Offer Mild Praise for Completed Interim Nuclear Agreement
(34 minutes later)
TEHRAN — Iranian hard-liners on Monday cautiously welcomed the completion of an interim nuclear agreement that will provide Tehran with some relief from Western economic sanctions in return for suspending certain nuclear activities for six months. TEHRAN — Iranian hard-liners on Monday cautiously welcomed the completion of an interim nuclear agreement that will provide Tehran with some relief from Western economic sanctions in return for a suspension of certain nuclear activities for six months.
“This is the first step toward a cease-fire,” Rasoul Sanaeirad, a political assistant to the Revolutionary Guards, told the semiofficial Fars news agency on Monday. “It seems the Americans are determined to overcome the atmosphere of conflict.”“This is the first step toward a cease-fire,” Rasoul Sanaeirad, a political assistant to the Revolutionary Guards, told the semiofficial Fars news agency on Monday. “It seems the Americans are determined to overcome the atmosphere of conflict.”
The agreement, reached on Sunday, came after seven weeks of negotiations over the details on how to put in place the compromises in principle outlined in November by Iran and the so-called P5-plus-1, the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany. The agreement was reached on Sunday after seven weeks of negotiations over the details on how to put in place the compromises in principle outlined in November by Iran and the so-called P5-plus-1, the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany.
The agreement will now officially be carried out Jan. 20. According to the Obama administration Iran will get around $7 billion in sanctions relief that will be doled out over the length of the pact. In exchange, Iran will comply with measures that the United States says will roll back its nuclear program. The agreement will now officially be carried out next Monday. According to the Obama administration, Iran will get around $7 billion in sanctions relief that will be doled out over the length of the pact. In exchange, Iran will comply with measures that the United States says will roll back its nuclear program.
The mild praise for the agreement among hard-line groups, well entrenched in the country’s Parliament, judiciary, state television, Friday Prayer venues and the security forces, was something of a surprise, following weeks of criticism and warnings to negotiators not to “sell out” the country. The mild praise for the agreement among hard-line groups, well entrenched in the country’s Parliament, judiciary, state television, Friday Prayer venues and security forces, was something of a surprise after weeks of criticism and warnings to negotiators not to “sell out” the country.
But on Monday critics remained largely mute, with several prominent conservatives even heralding the agreement as a victory for Iran. But on Monday, critics remained largely mute, with several prominent conservatives even heralding the agreement as a victory for Iran.
“God willing, everything will be O.K.,” said Hamid Reza Tarraghi, an analyst close to Iran’s leadership. “But naturally we must scrutinize the details of the agreement.”“God willing, everything will be O.K.,” said Hamid Reza Tarraghi, an analyst close to Iran’s leadership. “But naturally we must scrutinize the details of the agreement.”
One influential lawmaker in Iran’s hawkish Parliament said that Iran’s negotiators, who are supervised by the government, had achieved a victory by getting the West to accept Iran’s use of a new generation of advanced centrifuges. One influential lawmaker in Iran’s hawkish Parliament said Iran’s negotiators, who are supervised by the government, had achieved a victory by getting the West to accept Iran’s use of a new generation of advanced centrifuges.
“At last the world powers accepted that operating such machines is not against the agreement,” Alaeddin Boroujerdi said in an interview with the Parliament’s news website, ICANA, on Monday. “At last the world powers accepted that operating such machines is not against the agreement,” the lawmaker, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said on Monday in an interview with the Parliament’s news website, ICANA.
Generally speaking, Iran’s hard-line faction, a loose alliance of conservative clerics and military commanders, remains silent in the face of political defeats, only to counterattack at a later stage.Generally speaking, Iran’s hard-line faction, a loose alliance of conservative clerics and military commanders, remains silent in the face of political defeats, only to counterattack at a later stage.
Perhaps preparing the ground for such an assault, the conservative Mashregh news agency accused the top negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, of withholding crucial information on the latest agreement. Noting that nobody had seen the actual text laying out the details of the agreement, it said that certain points had been changed since the Geneva agreement in November.Perhaps preparing the ground for such an assault, the conservative Mashregh news agency accused the top negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, of withholding crucial information on the latest agreement. Noting that nobody had seen the actual text laying out the details of the agreement, it said that certain points had been changed since the Geneva agreement in November.
“If you want the support from the people, do not withhold information from them,” an editorial read, which also claimed the agency had information that changes had been made in the earlier agreement. “If you want the support from the people, do not withhold information from them,” read an editorial, which also claimed the agency had information that changes had been made in the earlier agreement.
The road to a final agreement is likely to have some bumps on both sides, experts have said. The United States Senate is considering a package of additional sanctions that would be imposed if Iran if does not keep its commitments on the deal. In response, the Iranian Parliament is threatening to retaliate for any new sanctions by increasing the level of uranium enrichment to 60 percent, compared with the maximum of 5 percent it agreed to in the deal. The road to a final agreement is likely to have some bumps on both sides, experts have said. The United States Senate is considering a package of additional sanctions that would be imposed if Iran if did not keep its commitments on the deal. In response, the Iranian Parliament is threatening to retaliate for any new sanctions by increasing the level of uranium enrichment to 60 percent, compared with the maximum of 5 percent it agreed to in the deal.
The lawmakers argue that Iran needs this level of enrichment — dangerously close to weapons grade — in order to power a fleet of nuclear powered ships and submarines that it has yet to build. “If the American president does not want to stop the Congress, it will be very easy for the Islamic republic of Iran to leave the negotiations,” the lawmaker Mohammad Hasan Asafari told Fars on Sunday. “But at that time, the loser will be the Americans and it will not be that easy for them to return to negotiations.” The lawmakers argue that Iran needs this level of enrichment — dangerously close to weapons grade — to fuel a fleet of nuclear-powered ships and submarines that it has yet to build.
“If the American president does not want to stop the Congress, it will be very easy for the Islamic Republic of Iran to leave the negotiations,” the lawmaker Mohammad Hasan Asafari told Fars on Sunday. “But at that time, the loser will be the Americans, and it will not be that easy for them to return to negotiations.”
For now, however, the agreement is being welcomed by most among Iran’s political elite.For now, however, the agreement is being welcomed by most among Iran’s political elite.
“I am optimistic over the future,” said Hesmatollah Falahatpishe, a former conservative member of Parliament who teaches political science at Tehran University. “This is a first step to overcome extremism in both our countries.” “I am optimistic over the future,” said Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a former conservative member of Parliament who teaches political science at Tehran University. “This is a first step to overcome extremism in both our countries.”