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| FILE - In this Oct. 26, 2010 file photo, a worker rides a bicycle in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, just outside the southern city of Bushehr, Iran. Ahead of the start of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, an official in the Islamic Republic has called limiting uranium enrichment and diluting its stockpile the country’s “most important commitments.” |
TEHRAN, Iran
(AP) -- Ahead of the start of a nuclear deal between Iran and world
powers, an official in the Islamic Republic called limiting uranium
enrichment and diluting its stockpile the country's "most important
commitments," state radio reported Sunday.
The
comments by Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman of Iran's atomic
department, show how the government of moderate President Hassan Rouhani
welcomes the deal, which begins Monday. International inspectors also
already have arrived in Tehran, preparing for the government opening its
facilities to them.
"Implementation of mutual
commitments in the framework of the Geneva deal will begin from
tomorrow," Kamalvandi said. "Under the agreement, suspension of
20-percent enrichment of uranium - and the diluting of the current
stockpile of enriched uranium - are the most important commitments of
our country."
Iran struck the deal in November
with the so-called P5+1 countries - Britain, China, France, Germany,
Russia and the United States. Negotiators agreed to final terms of the
deal Jan. 13.
Under the agreement, Iran will
limit its uranium enrichment to 5 percent - the grade commonly used to
power reactors. The deal also commits Iran to stop producing 20 percent
enriched uranium - which is only a technical step away from
weapons-grade material - and to neutralize its 20 percent stockpile over
the six months.
In exchange, economic
sanctions Iran faces would be eased for six months. Senior officials in
U.S. President Barack Obama's administration have put the total relief
figure at some $7 billion.
During the six months, negotiations between Iran and the world powers would continue in hopes of reaching a permanent deal.
The
West fears Iran's nuclear program could allow it to build an atomic
weapon. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, like
power generation and medical research.
On
Saturday a team of international inspectors arrived in Tehran in
preparation of beginning their inspections. They will visit Fordo, where
Iran enriches its 20 percent uranium, as well as its Natanz facility,
which produces 5 percent enriched uranium, to ensure the country
complies with the deal.
Kamalvandi said Sunday
that Iran will use centrifuges now producing 20 percent enriched
uranium to instead produce 5 percent enriched uranium to comply with the
agreement.
But suspicions remain high in both
Tehran and Washington after decades of hostility dating back to the
1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran that ousted the U.S.-backed shah
dynasty. Rouhani, Iran's new reformist president, has reached out to the
West, but must depend on support from Iran's top decision-maker,
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for his initiatives amid
criticism from hard-line factions.
Hard-liners
in Iran have already called the deal a "poison chalice" and are
threatening legislation to increase uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, U.S.
lawmakers have threatened to pass new sanctions legislation against Iran
that would take effect if Tehran violates the interim nuclear deal or
lets it expire without a follow-up accord.
Writing
a post on his Facebook page Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad
Javad Zarif reassured the world that the deal will begin on time.
"I
am hopeful that implementation of the first phase will have positive
results for the country and peace and stability in the region and the
world while preparing the ground for essential talks on a final
solution," Zarif wrote.
