Iranian, US FMs focus on clinching nuclear deal

AP, Vienna :The top diplomats of Iran and the European Union discussed implementation of a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran Saturday, as they awaited the U.N. nuclear agency’s report certifying whether Iran has met commitments under the accord.Certification by the International Atomic Energy agency that Iran is honoring its obligations to restrict is nuclear programs would trigger sanctions relief worth an estimated $100 billion for Tehran.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini are to be joined later in the day by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna, headquarters of the IAEA.Ahead of that, Zarif said the deal between his country and six world powers would hold, telling Iranian media that all parties would “not allow the outcome of these talks to be wasted.”Iran insists all of its nuclear activates are peaceful. But under the July 14 deal, Iran agreed to crimp programs it could use to make nuclear weapons in return for an end to sanctions.The deal puts Iran’s various nuclear activities under IAEA watch for up to 15 years, with an option to reimpose sanctions should Tehran break its commitments.International sanctions on Iran will be lifted on Saturday when the United Nations nuclear agency declares Tehran has complied with an agreement to scale back its nuclear program, Iran’s foreign minister said.Foreign Minister Javad Zarif arrived in Vienna, headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. body expected to issue a report triggering the lifting of sanctions imposed by the United Nations, United States and European Union.The sanctions have cut off a nation of nearly 80 million from the global financial system, drastically reduced the exports of a major oil producer and imposed severe economic hardship on ordinary Iranians. Most will be lifted immediately.”Today with the release of the IAEA chief’s report the nuclear deal will be implemented, after which a joint statement will be made to announce the beginning of the deal,” Zarif was quoted as saying in Vienna by state news agency IRNA.”Today is a good day for the Iranian people as sanctions will be lifted today,” the ISNA agency quoted Zarif as saying.