Nuclear agreement comes into force
The German government has welcomed the fact that Iran has honoured its commitments under the nuclear agreement, said federal government spokesperson Steffen Seibert. In return sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme have been lifted.
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A petrochemical plant: now that sanctions are lifted business with Iran is again permitted
Photo: picture alliance/AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi
Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke of a "historic success for diplomacy".
Iran has met its commitment under the provisions of the Vienna Nuclear Agreement. This is an important step towards full implementation of the agreement, which aims to demonstrably and verifiably prevent Iran’s nuclear armament.
The German government has called on the government in Teheran to make further constructive use of this opportunity to normalise relations with the international community. This specifically includes compliance with all existing UN Security Council resolutions. The German government also called on Iran to play a constructive part in the region, particularly with regard to the ongoing negotiations on Syria, but also in terms of its relations with Israel.
As a member of the E3+3 group of states Germany will be working to ensure that other constructive and confidence-building steps follow this most recent achievement. This is particularly true of the continuation of the Vienna conference process and the quest to end violence in the Middle East.
"A historic success for diplomacy"
Commenting on the implementation of Iran’s commitments under the Vienna Nuclear Agreement, Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, "In a region that is truly beset by crises and conflicts, a great many people can breathe a small sigh of relief today. At least the actual danger of nuclear armament in the region has been dispelled for the foreseeable future."
In return, he said, the economic and financial sanctions targeting the Iranian nuclear programme will now be lifted. It will therefore be permitted to do business with Iran once more. "This brings with it the chance for relations between Iran and the rest of the world to enter a new phase altogether, even though other conflicts rumble on and differences of opinion or conflicts of interest remain."
Diplomacy can, after all, overcome seemingly irreconcilable differences and defuse perilous crises. This is ground for hope that it will prove possible to defuse other urgent crises and conflicts in the region, especially with a view to Syria.