Iran’s President Warns on Breach of Nuclear Deal Tehran has complained it hasn’t seen enough economic benefits from agreement By Aresu Eqbali in Tehran and Margherita Stancati in Dubai
http://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-president-warns-on-breach-of-nuclear-deal-1468412980
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday marked the first anniversary of his country’s landmark nuclear deal with the U.S. and other world powers with a warning that Tehran could quickly restore its nuclear capacity if the terms of accord are breached.
Under the landmark deal reached in Vienna, Iran agreed to pull back its nuclear program from the verge of weapons-making capacity in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions that had crippled its economy. The pact went into effect in January.
On Wednesday, Mr. Rouhani, a strong proponent of the accord, said Iran would continue to adhere to the terms of the deal but expressed wariness over whether the other signatories would do so.
“We always keep our word,” the Iranian leader said on state television. “But if they want to breach their commitment, our nuclear capabilities are such that we can reach the level we want in a short period of time.”
Tehran has complained that the accord hasn’t produced as much economic relief to Iran as expected. The country is still subject to unilateral American sanctions and the country has struggled to attract big foreign investments, partly because it is having trouble gaining access to the international banking system.
Iranian officials have accused the U.S. of deliberately discouraging business dealings with Iran, an allegation the Obama administration has denied.
The plan by Boeing Co. to sell 80 passenger aircraft to Iran’s national carrier has faced opposition from U.S. Congress, with some lawmakers seeking to block the $17.6-billion deal.
In a bid to help restore Iran to the global economic system, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in recent months has said businesses should not use U.S. sanctions on Iran as an excuse for avoiding business with Tehran. He reiterated his support for the nuclear accord on Wednesday.
“The nuclear deal is in the interest of all countries and parties. It is good for peace and stability, for the region, for the world,” said Mr. Kerry, noting the accord had allowed Iran to resume oil exports and deterred possible military intervention in the country. CONTINUE AT SITE
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