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| Temporary Nuclear Deal With Iran Takes Effect | Temporary Nuclear Deal With Iran Takes Effect |
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| The first orchestrated rollback in Western antinuclear economic sanctions against Iran took effect on Monday under Tehran’s temporary agreement with world powers, as all sides reported that the steps initially promised had been fulfilled. | The first orchestrated rollback in Western antinuclear economic sanctions against Iran took effect on Monday under Tehran’s temporary agreement with world powers, as all sides reported that the steps initially promised had been fulfilled. |
| Under the temporary agreement, Iran began suspending most advanced uranium-fuel enrichment and halted other sensitive elements of its nuclear program. In exchange, it received what the United States called “limited, targeted and reversible sanctions relief for a six-month period.” | Under the temporary agreement, Iran began suspending most advanced uranium-fuel enrichment and halted other sensitive elements of its nuclear program. In exchange, it received what the United States called “limited, targeted and reversible sanctions relief for a six-month period.” |
| The agreement, known in diplomatic language as the Joint Plan of Action, expires on July 20 and was intended to give Iran and the so-called P5-plus 1 powers, which are the five permanent members of the Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — plus Germany, more time to negotiate a permanent accord. | The agreement, known in diplomatic language as the Joint Plan of Action, expires on July 20 and was intended to give Iran and the so-called P5-plus 1 powers, which are the five permanent members of the Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — plus Germany, more time to negotiate a permanent accord. |
| The goal is to resolve peacefully the longstanding dispute over Iran’s contentious nuclear energy program, which Iran has called peaceful and legal but the Western countries and Israel have described as a guise to achieve the ability to produce nuclear weapons. | The goal is to resolve peacefully the longstanding dispute over Iran’s contentious nuclear energy program, which Iran has called peaceful and legal but the Western countries and Israel have described as a guise to achieve the ability to produce nuclear weapons. |
| The International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear monitor of the United Nations, said that its inspectors in Iran confirmed that Iranian officials had complied with their commitments: suspending the production of 20 percent-enriched uranium, which is a few technical steps short of weapons-grade, disabling thousands of centrifuges used to make that fuel, and beginning to convert its stockpile into a much-less-potent form that cannot be weaponized. | The International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear monitor of the United Nations, said that its inspectors in Iran confirmed that Iranian officials had complied with their commitments: suspending the production of 20 percent-enriched uranium, which is a few technical steps short of weapons-grade, disabling thousands of centrifuges used to make that fuel, and beginning to convert its stockpile into a much-less-potent form that cannot be weaponized. |
| Tero Varjoranta, the deputy director general of the I.A.E.A., told reporters at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna that the Iranians had provided “good cooperation” so far and that “we have a very robust system in place with Iran” to ensure compliance with the agreement. | Tero Varjoranta, the deputy director general of the I.A.E.A., told reporters at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna that the Iranians had provided “good cooperation” so far and that “we have a very robust system in place with Iran” to ensure compliance with the agreement. |
| In return, the European Union and the United States, which have imposed tough sanctions on Iran that have severely impaired its economy, suspended some restrictions on the Iranian petrochemicals, automotive and precious metals industries and began the staggered release of $4.2 billion in Iranian cash frozen in overseas banks. | In return, the European Union and the United States, which have imposed tough sanctions on Iran that have severely impaired its economy, suspended some restrictions on the Iranian petrochemicals, automotive and precious metals industries and began the staggered release of $4.2 billion in Iranian cash frozen in overseas banks. |
| Other Western provisions that were eased included restraints on insurance for Iran’s oil shipments and licenses for services and parts needed by Iran’s commercial airlines, which have been increasingly hobbled by the need for maintenance and repairs of their old Boeing aircraft. | Other Western provisions that were eased included restraints on insurance for Iran’s oil shipments and licenses for services and parts needed by Iran’s commercial airlines, which have been increasingly hobbled by the need for maintenance and repairs of their old Boeing aircraft. |
| In a statement, Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s top foreign policy official and the lead P5-plus-1 negotiator with Iran, called the carrying out of the agreement an important step, and expressed hope that new talks with Iran would begin in the next few weeks to “use the momentum that we have got” and accelerate discussions toward a final accord. | In a statement, Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s top foreign policy official and the lead P5-plus-1 negotiator with Iran, called the carrying out of the agreement an important step, and expressed hope that new talks with Iran would begin in the next few weeks to “use the momentum that we have got” and accelerate discussions toward a final accord. |
| “It is important to keep that momentum, and I would like to see us move swiftly to agreements,” Ms. Ashton said in Brussels. “But I am mindful that there are many difficult issues.” She declined to specify them. | “It is important to keep that momentum, and I would like to see us move swiftly to agreements,” Ms. Ashton said in Brussels. “But I am mindful that there are many difficult issues.” She declined to specify them. |
| The seemingly smooth execution of the temporary nuclear agreement was particularly notable coming on a day when Iran’s role in another major global dispute — Syria’s civil war — threatened to subvert peace talks scheduled for Wednesday in Switzerland. The United States and the Syrian opposition objected to a United Nations invitation for Iran to attend. The United Nations later rescinded the invitation. | |
| The nuclear agreement dominated the news in Iran, where several officials welcomed the start of the deal and Iranian news media reported on every step taken by the I.A.E.A.'s inspectors. | The nuclear agreement dominated the news in Iran, where several officials welcomed the start of the deal and Iranian news media reported on every step taken by the I.A.E.A.'s inspectors. |
| “They are now in the enrichment facilities of Natanz and Fordo,” Behrouz Kamalvand, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told state television, referring to the two principal locations of Iranian centrifuges. “They have now disconnected certain pipes,” he said later. Finally he said, “Iran has voluntarily suspended enrichment up to 20 percent.” | “They are now in the enrichment facilities of Natanz and Fordo,” Behrouz Kamalvand, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told state television, referring to the two principal locations of Iranian centrifuges. “They have now disconnected certain pipes,” he said later. Finally he said, “Iran has voluntarily suspended enrichment up to 20 percent.” |
| Mr. Kamalvand reassured his nationwide audience that if the deal went wrong, Iran could start spinning its centrifuges and produce higher-enriched uranium within 24 hours. | Mr. Kamalvand reassured his nationwide audience that if the deal went wrong, Iran could start spinning its centrifuges and produce higher-enriched uranium within 24 hours. |
| “We do not completely trust the other side,” he said. “Therefore, activities have been foreseen so that we will not lose time if we have to come back to the previous situation.” | “We do not completely trust the other side,” he said. “Therefore, activities have been foreseen so that we will not lose time if we have to come back to the previous situation.” |
| Iranian critics of the deal, who fear Iran conceded too much, expressed anger. The conservative Vatan-e Emrooz newspaper’s front page was published in black and white, as if in mourning, with a headline that declared “nuclear holocaust” had been committed. | Iranian critics of the deal, who fear Iran conceded too much, expressed anger. The conservative Vatan-e Emrooz newspaper’s front page was published in black and white, as if in mourning, with a headline that declared “nuclear holocaust” had been committed. |
| Ahmad Tavakoli, an influential lawmaker who is close to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said there were many issues with the agreement. “As the officials of the Islamic republic, we cannot publicly explain all of these problems because the other party may misuse them,” he said in a speech in Parliament reported by the Fars news agency. “But we will share some of these worries with the supreme leader and with the people.” | Ahmad Tavakoli, an influential lawmaker who is close to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said there were many issues with the agreement. “As the officials of the Islamic republic, we cannot publicly explain all of these problems because the other party may misuse them,” he said in a speech in Parliament reported by the Fars news agency. “But we will share some of these worries with the supreme leader and with the people.” |
| Others in Iran said they were prepared to give the agreement time to succeed. “I am cautiously optimistic, but not sure about the future,” said Hamid Reza Tarraghi, a conservative analyst who has close ties to Iran’s political leadership. “We have to wait and see whether the opposite side will take all the necessary steps.” | Others in Iran said they were prepared to give the agreement time to succeed. “I am cautiously optimistic, but not sure about the future,” said Hamid Reza Tarraghi, a conservative analyst who has close ties to Iran’s political leadership. “We have to wait and see whether the opposite side will take all the necessary steps.” |
| In Israel, where the interim agreement has been severely criticized as a capitulation to Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal would not stop the “Iran nuclear train” and what he called its intent to develop nuclear weapons. Mr. Netanyahu spoke during a session of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, that was attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada. Mr. Harper said his country would maintain its own sanctions against Iran despite the Geneva agreement, prompting a standing ovation from Israeli lawmakers. | In Israel, where the interim agreement has been severely criticized as a capitulation to Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal would not stop the “Iran nuclear train” and what he called its intent to develop nuclear weapons. Mr. Netanyahu spoke during a session of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, that was attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada. Mr. Harper said his country would maintain its own sanctions against Iran despite the Geneva agreement, prompting a standing ovation from Israeli lawmakers. |