UN endorses Iran deal, paves way to lift sanctions

The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution that will clear a path for international sanctions crippling Iran’s economy to be lifted.

Representatives of all 15 countries on the council voted by raising their hands.

“The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously,” announced New Zealand ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, whose country holds the current presidency of the Security Council.

The passing of the resolution marks formal UN endorsement for the hard-won, groundbreaking agreement reached between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group after 18 straight days of talks that capped almost two years of momentous negotiations.

On condition that Iran respects the agreement to the letter, seven UN resolutions passed since 2006 to sanction Iran will be gradually terminated, according to the text.

The historic agreement with Tehran was reached last Tuesday in Vienna by the UN council’s five permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany.

The text launches a progressive and conditional lifting of sanctions, in exchange for guarantees that the Islamic republic will not develop a nuclear bomb.

The resolution calls for “full implementation on the timetable established” of the agreement reached in Vienna and urges UN member countries to facilitate the process.

The council charges the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, to “undertake the necessary verification and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear commitments.”