The U.S. and five allied world powers (China, Russia, UK, France, and Germany) have worked out an agreement with Iran restricting its nuclear program, President Obama announced from the White House this morning. The deal limits Iran’s ability to enrich uranium, and thus develop nuclear weapons, in return for a gradual easing of UN sanctions and financial controls on Iran.
This plan, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, is years in the making. It took its nascent form in November 2013 with a new Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, then was fleshed out in a framework agreement in April this year. The most recent push to the agreement took 18 full days of talks in Vienna among top diplomats from every country involved.
Though a deal has been announced, it already faces opposition, both internationally from Israel and Arab states and domestically from Congress. Congress has sixty days to review the deal, in what is expected to be a difficult political fight over President Obama’s foreign policy.
The full text of the deal is available here.
Greg Williams works in digital communications at an advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. He tweets @gwilliamsster and blogs at fourthconfession.
Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!