India welcomes agreement over Iran's nuclear programme

[Hindustani78]

India welcomes agreement over Iran's nuclear programme | Zee News
Last Updated: Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:38

New Delhi: India on Friday welcomed the understanding reached between Iran and the six world powers on Tehran's contentious nuclear programme and hoped that this would lead to a comprehensive agreement by June 30.


"A significant step seems to have been taken with agreement on the parameters of a comprehensive settlement to be negotiated by June 30," External Affairs Ministry said in statement, welcoming the understanding announced in Lausanne between Iran and the P5+1 group on the nuclear issue.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, "India has always maintained that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully by respecting Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as also the international community's strong interest in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme."

Stating that yesterday's announcement underlines the success of diplomacy and dialogue, he said, India has always supported it and hopes that it would lead to a comprehensive agreement by June 30.

After marathon talks in Switzerland, Iran and six world powers agreed last night on the framework of a potentially historic deal aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear programme, a major breakthrough in a 12-year standoff.

The framework, agreed between Iran and the West raised hopes that the deal could help stability in the Middle East.

Iran has agreed to curtail its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of punishing sanctions.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

Turkey welcomes Iran nuclear framework deal: Foreign minister | Zee News
Last Updated: Friday, April 3, 2015 - 15:31

Vilnius: Turkey on Friday welcomed a framework nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, adding it hoped I ran would take steps to finalise the agreement by July.


"We are very happy that this deal was made yesterday," Turkey`s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in the Lithuanian capital.

The minister said he "hoped the parties will reach a final agreement by first of July", but said Iran must do more to achieve this objective.

"When we look at the positions of the P5+1 (Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, US) and Iran right now, Iran is still beyond the line we were able to bring in 2010, but I hope Iran will come to the same line by the end of June," Cavusoglu added.

Iran and Western powers struck an outline agreement in Switzerland Thursday paving the way for Tehran to curtail its nuclear activity in exchange for relief from punishing economic sanctions.

"Turkey is in principle against any kind of nuclear weapons in Iran, in Israel or in any other countries", Cavusoglu said.

AFP

 

[Hindustani78]

Updated: April 6, 2015 14:07 IST
Obama: Iran deal 'once in a lifetime' opportunity - The Hindu

Mr. Obama argued that successful negotiations presented the most effective way to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
U.S. President Barack Obama defended a framework nuclear agreement with Iran as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to prevent a bomb and bring longer-term stability to the Middle East. He insisted the U.S. would stand by Israel if it were to come under attack, but acknowledged that his pursuit of diplomacy with Tehran has caused strain with the close ally.

“It’s been a hard period,” Mr. Obama said in an interview with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman. He added that it is “personally difficult” for him to hear his administration accused of not looking out for Israel’s interests.

“We are powerful enough to be able to test these propositions without putting ourselves at risk,” he said, citing his overtures to Cuba and Myanmar as other examples of his approach.

Mr. Obama argued that successful negotiations presented the most effective way to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but insisted he would keep all options on the table if Tehran were to violate the terms.

“I’ve been very clear that Iran will not get a nuclear weapon on my watch, and I think they should understand that we mean it,” Mr. Obama said. “But I say that hoping that we can conclude this diplomatic arrangement and that it ushers a new era in U.S.-Iranian relations and, just as importantly, over time, a new era in Iranian relations with its neighbours.”

The President said there are many details that still need to be worked out with the Iranians and cautioned that there would be “real political difficulties” in implementing an agreement in both countries. He reiterated his opposition to a legislation that would give the U.S. Congress final say in approving or rejecting a deal, but said he hoped to find a path to allow Congress to “express itself.”

On the substance of the Iran framework agreement, Mr. Obama outlined more specifics of how the U.S. would seek to verify that Tehran wasn’t cheating. He said there would be an “international mechanism” that would assess whether there needed to be an inspection at a suspicious site and could overrule Iranian objections.