Final nuke deal sealed with Iran
Pact includes US-Iran compromise that will allow UN inspectors to visit Iranian military sites
VIENNA—A landmark Iran nuclear agreement was reached yesterday after clearing final obstacles, and a senior diplomat said it included a compromise between Washington and Tehran that would allow UN inspectors to press for visits to Iranian military sites as part of their monitoring duties.
But access at will to any site would not necessarily be granted and even if so, could be delayed, a condition that critics of the deal are sure to seize on as possibly giving Tehran time to cover any sign of non-compliance with its commitments.
Accord “bad for the free world”
But an Israeli Cabinet minister says a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers gives the Islamic Republic a “license to kill.”
Miri Regev, a former military spokeswoman who serves as Israel’s culture and sports minister, said yesterday that the deal was “bad for the free world (and) bad for humanity.”
Under the deal, Tehran would have the right to challenge the UN request and an arbitration board composed of Iran and the six world powers that negotiated with it
Israeli official: Nuceal deal with Iran a ‘license to kill’
would have to decide on the issue.
Still, such an arrangement would be a notable departure from assertions by top Iranian officials that their country would never allow the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into such sites.
Iran has argued that such visits by the IAEA would be a cover for spying on its military secrets.
Yesterday morning, the European Union announced that the final plenary of Iran and the six countries negotiating with it will take place at 10:30 Vienna time, followed by a news conference.
A Western diplomat said they will endorse the deal, reached in the early morning hours.
He demanded anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the confidential talks.
Fighting to block the deal
Israel has been at the forefront of efforts to block an accord that would lift sanctions on Iran.
Iranian officials over the years repeatedly have threatened to destroy Israel.
Regev called on further lobbying against the deal and said Congress could still block it.
While access is a key part of monitoring envisaged cuts on Tehran’s present nuclear activities, it is also important for the IAEA as it tries to kick-start nearly a decade of stalled attempts to probe allegations that Iran worked on nuclear arms. (AP)