EU suspends some sanctions against Iran - official
20 January 2014, 18:57
The European Union suspended a range of sanctions against Iran on Monday after Tehran began implementing a deal to curb its nuclear programme, the EU said.
'As part of the implementation of the Joint Plan of Action agreed by Iran and the E3/EU+3, which enters into force today, the Council today suspended certain EU restrictive measures against Iran for a period of six months,' a statement said.
The suspension was agreed by foreign ministers meeting in Brussels for regular monthly talks after they received word from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, that Tehran had stuck to its side of a November deal to cut back its nuclear programme.
The new measures notably include the suspension of a 2012 ban on insuring and transporting Iranian crude oil that caused a more than 50 percent drop in Tehran's oil exports.
European insurers up until then had accounted for 90 percent of coverage for deliveries of Iranian oil anywhere in the world.
The EU also will suspend bans on trade in gold, precious metals and petrochemical products while increasing a ceiling on financial transfers not related to remaining sanctions.
The EU has promised to impose no new sanctions in the next six months, the first stage in efforts to find a lasting solution over fears that Iran is developing a nuclear bomb.
US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday approved a waiver to ease sanctions on Iran, after the Islamic republic began to impose curbs on its suspect nuclear program.
'Iran has begun to take concrete and verifiable steps to halt its nuclear program,' State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, adding it was 'an unprecedented opportunity' to resolve global concerns over the atomic program.
Kerry has approved the waiver, which will allow limited relief to help Iran's crippled economy, and it would be sent to Congress on Monday, she added.
As agreed with world powers under a six-month deal reached on November 24, the US administration 'has taken the necessary steps to pause efforts to further reduce Iranian crude oil exports,' a separate US fact sheet said.
This will allow the six nations which buy Iranian oil to continue to do so for the duration of the deal.
Sanctions will also be suspended on non-Americans trading in Iran's petrochemical exports, as well as certain trade in gold and precious metals and Iran's automotive sector.
White House spokesman Jay Carney hailed Iran's actions as 'an important step forward.'
'These actions represent the first time in nearly a decade that Iran has verifiably enacted measures to halt progress on its nuclear program, and roll it back in key respects,' he said in a statement.
'Iran has also begun to provide the IAEA with increased transparency into the Iranian nuclear program, through more frequent and intrusive inspections and the expanded provision of information to the IAEA.'
Psaki agreed 'these actions today are significant steps in our efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.'
'The coming negotiation to reach a comprehensive agreement that addresses all of the international community's concerns will be even more complex, and we go into it clear-eyed about the difficulties ahead,' she said.
'But today's events have made clear that we have an unprecedented opportunity to see if we can resolve this most pressing national security concern peacefully. That remains our goal, and that is our challenge ahead.'
Any new contracts struck with Iranian firms should not go beyond the six-month period.
UN watchdog confirms Iran nuclear freeze
The UN atomic watchdog has confirmed that Iran's partial nuclear freeze, part of a landmark deal with world powers struck in November, began on Monday as planned.
'It's all fine, all their requirements have been fulfilled,' one envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency said in Vienna, in comments echoed by other diplomats.
The diplomats said that an IAEA report had been sent to member states confirming the start of the freeze.
The IAEA declined to comment.
Under the terms of the November 24 deal, Iran has pledged to limit uranium enrichment to low purities for a period of six months, convert its medium-enriched uranium and not make further advances at its nuclear facilities.
In exchange Western powers will slightly loosen crippling sanctions in a package worth between $6-7, according to the White House, including $4.2 billion in frozen overseas foreign exchange assets in eight instalments starting February 1.
During the six months, Iran and the P5+1 powers - the US, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany - are due to hammer out a long-term 'comprehensive accord' aimed at ending once and for all the standoff over Iran's nuclear work.
This six-month period can however be extended by mutual agreement. According to the November 24 interim deal, the parties aim to conclude negotiating and begin implementing it within a year.
Senior US administration officials told the BBC that some of the sticking points that had been resolved in the past six weeks centred on how often inspectors would be allowed to visit Iran's nuclear sites.
Officials say as a result of the deal:
- From 20 January, Iran will start diluting its stockpile of 20%-enriched uranium
- All 20%-enriched uranium will be gone within six months
- Daily access will be provided to the Fordo uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom
- Monthly inspections will be allowed at the Arak heavy water reactor
Voice of Russia, AFP, BBC
Source: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_01_20/ EU-suspends-some-sanctions- against-Iran-official-0138/
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