Reactions from the international community came soon after an agreement was announced between Iran and world powers that would put curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. All states, including Tehran’s former adversaries, welcomed the agreement with the exception of the Israeli regime.
US
US President Barack Obama said the nuclear deal with Iran offered a chance to move in a “new direction” in relations with Tehran, but promised a skeptical Israeli regime that Washington would not abandon it.
“Our differences are real. The difficult history between the nations cannot be ignored. It is possible to change,” Obama said. “This deal offers an opportunity to move in a new direction. We should seize it.”
The US president nevertheless promised to “continue our unprecedented efforts to strengthen Israel’s security, efforts that go beyond what any administration has done before.” Obama warned Congress that he would veto any legislation that blocks the Iran deal.
Saudi Arabia
Iran's nuclear deal with world powers will mean "a happy day" if it stops the country gaining a nuclear arsenal, but the agreement would prove bad if it allowed Tehran to "wreak havoc in the region", a Saudi official said.
The official said Iran had destabilised the whole Middle East through its activities in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen and added that if the deal allowed it concessions, the region would become more dangerous.
UK
Britain hailed the “historic agreement” , and hoped the deal would trigger a significant change in Tehran’s relations with the rest of the world.
“We hope, and expect, that this agreement will herald a step-change in Iran’s relations with its neighbours and with the international community,” Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement.
“We recognise the concern in the region about Iran’s historic pattern of regional activity.
“We will maintain our clear position in support of the Gulf states and against Iranian interference in their internal affairs.”
He said the removal over time of economic and financial sanctions represented a “huge opportunity for Iranians to make positive decisions about their country’s future and its role in the region”.
Germany
German Foreign Minister Steinmeier says “I will certainly travel to Iran, but I don’t have concrete travel plans yet”. Germany’s main business lobby group is welcoming the Iranian nuclear deal, which it says could ultimately lead to a quadrupling of German exports to Iran.
The Federation of German Industries’ chairman, Ulrich Grillo, said modernising Iran’s oil industry could offer “major market opportunities” for German machinery makers. He also pointed to the auto and chemical industries, the health sector and renewable energy as areas where German firms could do business.
Grillo says companies will need to be able to finance investments to trade with Iran and highlighted the need for quick resumption of bank transfers via the SWIFT system.
German exports to Iran totaled nearly 2.4 billion euros ($2.7 billion) last year. The industry federation says an increase to over 10 billion euros is realistic “in the medium term.”
France
French President Francois Hollande welcomed a historic deal on Iran’s nuclear programme reached Tuesday between global powers and Tehran. “It’s a very important deal that was signed overnight, the world is making headway,” he said in his traditional annual televised interview on France’s national day. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says confident French firms will get fair share of market in Iran despite French stance in nuclear talks. Says he may visit Iran.
Russia
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says his country is pleased with the result of nuclear negotiations between world powers and Iran.
Lavrov said Russia and China pushed to end an arms embargo on Iran as soon as possible. However, he said Iranians “agreed to compromise” since “the West insisted that the embargo should stay.”
In the end, Lavrov says Iran agreed to the embargo being kept in place for the next five years. However, Lavrov said Iran will be able to import arms during that period “on the condition of the notification and the verification with the UN Security Council.”
Iraq
The spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi says the nuclear deal announced Tuesday between Iran and world powers in Vienna will be “a catalyst for regional stability.”
Saad Al Hadithi said that the landmark agreement, designed to avert the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, is “an important step” and will lead to better unity in the fight against terrorism.
Pakistan
Pakistan hopes news of a deal over Iran’s contested nuclear programme will help it complete a gas pipeline linking it to the Islamic Republic.
Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz said Tuesday he “welcomed” the deal.
Washington for years has opposed Pakistan’s bid to import natural gas from Tehran. Pakistan needs the pipeline to supply power to its weak electrical grid.
A Pakistani defense analyst, retired Gen. Talat Masood, said: “Because of this agreement ... I think Washington will stop opposing the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.”
Israel
The Israeli regime’s prime minister says a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is a “bad mistake of historic proportions.”
Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that an accord with Iran will allow it “to continue to pursue its aggression and terror in the region.”
“Iran will get a jackpot, a cash bonanza of hundreds of billions of dollars, which will enable it to continue to pursue its aggression and terror in the region and in the world,” he said.
Last Wednesday, Netanyahu tweeted: “Iran’s increasing aggression is more dangerous than that of ISIS (Daesh), and the true goal of this aggression in the end is to take over the world.”
Turkey
Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said the Iranian nuclear deal was a “very positive development” that could unlock investment in the Islamic Republic. Turkey is a major importer of Iranian gas. Its imports from Iran were nearly $10 billion in 2014 while its exports totalled around $4 billion.
Syria
Syria’s Bashar Al Assad says Iranian nuclear deal is a ‘major turning point’ in the history of Iran, the region and the world. He says that he is confident Iran will support “just causes” with greater drive following nuclear deal.
- Agencies
