Iran, US moving forward after lifting of sanctions

World Today

Iranian President Hassan RouhaniIranian President Hassan Rouhani arrives for a press conference on January 17, 2016 in the capital Tehran after international sanctions on Iran were lifted. PHOTO AFP / ATTA KENARE

Iranian analysts said on Sunday that they remain cautiously optimistic after international sanctions were lifted following the country’s fulfillment of obligations under a historic nuclear deal with six world powers last summer.

CCTV’s Jessica Stone with the latest developments after lifting of sanctions against Iran.


Analysis of lifting of sanctions against Iran from Mohsen Milani, Executive Director of the Center for Strategic & Diplomatic Studies and Professor of Politics at the University of South Florida. Twitter: @MohsenMilani


For more on the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions on Iran and reactions from around the world CCTV’s Susan Roberts spoke with Patricia DeGenarro. She’s a Senior Fellow at the World Policy Institute, a think tank that examines emerging global issues.  Twitter: @Tricias_Take


Mohammad Marandi on Iran’s reaction to the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions. He’s a professor at Tehran University.

The U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed on Saturday that Iran had fulfilled its side of the nuclear agreement, leading the United States and the European Union to lift sanctions which have crippled the country’s economy. Following the IAEA’s announcement, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a statement that Iran has opened a new chapter in its ties with the world.

Dr. Hermidas Bavand, a Tehran-based expert on international issues, said the lifting of sanctions will pave the way for Iran to play a bigger role on the regional and global stage.

“For Iran, the solution of the nuclear issue created a new atmosphere for extension of constructive dialogue and also the relationship between Iran and some other countries in the world,” he said.

Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran, said Iranians are largely optimistic, as the lifting of sanctions from oil sales to financial transactions will help reconnect the country to the global economy. However, at the same time, Iran also has reasons to remain cautious towards the United States, he said.

The United States has said that despite the removal of sanctions, profound differences remain with Iran. And in a sign of those differences, Washington announced on Sunday its decision to impose new sanctions over Tehran’s ballistic missile program.

“The real concern is whether the United States will be committed, because already we see that the United States, the Treasury had moved a couple of weeks ago to expand the sanctions. And that, from the Iranian perspective, was unacceptable. So we have to see in the coming months will the U.S. government or will Congress try to impose new sanctions in place of the old sanctions that have been removed. If the United States goes down that path, that would be very detrimental to the agreement,” he said.

Marandi said that given the U.S. sanctions and attitude toward Iran, Iran has to remain cautious.

“I think there is cautious optimism. We still have a long way to go because we have to see what the Americans are going to do,” he said.

“Even if the United States ultimately breaks the agreement, it is still a loss for the United States because the international community will see that it is Iran that has been sticking to its side of the bargain. And if the Americans do not stick to their side of the bargain, I think it will be very difficult for the Americans to ever convince people again to impose sanctions on Iran,” he added.