After hard negotiation, historic Iran nuclear deal reached

World Today

Austria Iran Nuclear TalksIranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrives for the final plenary meeting at the United Nations building in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, July 14, 2015. After 18 days of intense and often fractious negotiation, diplomats Tuesday declared that world powers and Iran had struck a landmark deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions, an agreement designed to avert the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and another U.S. military intervention in the Muslim world. (Joe Klamar/Pool Photo via AP)

VIENNA – World powers and Iran have formally announced a comprehensive nuclear accord. The comprehensive agreement was clinched between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States after over two weeks of bargain in the Austrian capital city.

“Today is a historic day, with the comprehensive agreement upholding the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and improving the relations between Iran and the rest of the international community. What’s more, it has shown that thorny international conflicts can be resolved through dialogue and negotiation,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told CCTV after the last round of the nuclear talks.

U.S. President Barack Obama says every path to a nuclear weapon will be cut off for Iran under a historic agreement announced in Vienna.

Obama spoke from the White House Tuesday morning after the deal was announced. Addressing skeptics of the agreement, Obama said, “This deal is not built on trust. It is built on verification.”

He says the nuclear agreement with Iran ensures that Iran “will not develop a nuclear weapon.”  He says Iran’s compliance will be verified by inspections.

In a comment to Congress Obama said, “No deal means a greater chance of more war in the Middle East” and he will veto any legislation that blocks the deal.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said ‘a new chapter’ has begun in relations with the world.

In the marathon negotiations over the past 18 months, Iran and the six countries have resolved many tough issues which were once seen as an impossible task to be accomplish, such as capping Iran’s nuclear capacity and giving greater transparency of Tehran’s atomic plan.


Negar Mortazavi on the Iran nuclear deal
For more on the significance of Iran nuclear deal, CCTV America’s Asieh Namdar spoke to Negar Mortazavi. She’s an Iranian-American journalist based in New York City.
Follow Asieh Namdar on Twitter@asiehnamdar
Follow Negar Mortazavi on Twitter@NegarMortazavi

The text of the deal is around 100 pages with five annexes, which specify the key areas of the Iranian nuclear issue, including sanction relief and action plan, nuclear technology cooperation, the committee of the monitoring of the implementation, the capping of Iran’s nuclear capacity, and the draft of the UN Security Council resolution.


Kaveh Afrasiabi on the Iran deal
To break down this deal and what it means, CCTV America’s Phillip Yin speaks to Kaveh Afrasiabi, Co-Author of the book Iran Nuclear Negotiations: Accord and Detente since the Geneva Agreement of 2013.

It could take around six months before the comprehensive deal is implemented by all sides, a source told CCTV.

MORE COVERAGE ON CCTV-AMERICA

Story compiled with information from CCTV, Reuters and The Associated Press.

Reaction to Iranian deal
Barack Obama has spent much of his second term as US president pushing for a deal with Iran. Political capital, he says, he was not afraid to spend. With the tough part in Vienna now out of the way, the White House now has to convince lawmakers in Washington not to block the deal. CCTV America’s Roee Ruttenberg filed this report.

Obama has threatened to veto any legislation to block the deal. Lawmakers would need a two-thirds majority to overturn his veto numbers that would, by all accounts, be tough to come by. With provisions of the plan extending 10 to 15 years out-candidates for next year’s presidential election are already chiming in. Sanctions relief, argue critics, is tantamount to rewarding Iran.


Richard Bestic reports on the Iranian Nuclear talks in Vienna

Richard Bestic reports on the Iranian Nuclear talks in Vienna

CCTV's Richard Bestic reports on the Iranian Nuclear talks in Vienna


Guest panel on Iran featuring Middle East analyst Matt Brodsky and Nader Habibi, Economics of the Middle East Professor at Brandeis University


Mike Walters explains the nuclear timeline of Iran


Bruce Jentelson on the Iran nuclear deal
For a closer look at the Iran nuclear deal, CCTV spoke to Bruce Jentleson. He’s a professor of public policy and political science at Duke University.


UN Chief says deal paves the way for peace
At the United Nations, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the nuclear deal, saying it paves the way for peace in the Middle East. The next step from the UN is for the Security Council to vote on an already-written resolution that endorses this deal. CCTV’s UN correspondent Liling Tan filed this report.
Follow Liling Tan on Twitter @LilingTan


Iranian Americans react to nuclear deal
Iranian Americans have mixed emotions about the deal, and what it could mean for the future of their homeland. CCTV’s May Lee filed this report.

Iranian Americans react to nuclear deal

Iranian Americans have mixed emotions about the deal, and what it could mean for the future of their homeland. CCTV's May Lee filed this report.