UN paves the way for lifting of sanctions on Iran

However, the measure also provides a mechanism for UN sanctions to 'snap back' in place and re-impose UN penalties during the next decade if Tehran breaches the historic agreement.

UNITED NATIONS // The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously endorsed the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, clearing a path for international sanctions crippling its economy to be lifted.

But the measure also provides a mechanism for UN sanctions to “snap back” in place and re-impose UN penalties during the next decade if Tehran breaches the historic agreement.

The 15-member body unanimously adopted a resolution that was negotiated as part of the agreement reached in Vienna last week between Iran and world powers.

In return for lifting US, EU and UN sanctions, Iran will be subjected to long-term curbs on a nuclear programme that the West suspected was aimed at creating an atomic bomb, but which Tehran says is peaceful.

Passage of the resolution triggers a complex set of coordinated steps agreed by Iran during nearly two years of talks with the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union.

It says that no sanctions relief will be implemented until the International Atomic Energy Agency submits a report to the Security Council verifying that Iran has taken certain nuclear-related measures outlined in the agreement.

Under the deal, the major powers do not need to take any further action for 90 days. Then they are required to begin preparations so they are able to lift sanctions as soon as the IAEA verification report is submitted.

The European Union approved the Iran nuclear deal with world powers on Monday. US president Barack Obama’s administration has sent the nuclear agreement to Congress, which has the next 60 days to review it.

Once sanctions relief can be implemented, seven previous UN resolutions passed since 2006 will be gradually terminated and the measures contained in the resolution adopted on Monday will come into effect.

The resolution allows for supply of ballistic missile technology and heavy weapons, such as tanks and attack helicopters, to Iran with Security Council approval, but the US has pledged to veto any such requests.

The restrictions on ballistic missile technology are in place for eight years and on heavy weapons for five years.

The resolution leaves in place an arms embargo on conventional weapons for five years.

It places restrictions on the transfer to Iran of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes for a decade and allows all UN sanctions to be re-imposed if Iran breaches the deal in the next 10 years. If the Security Council receives a complaint of a breach it would then need to vote within 30 days on a resolution to extend sanctions relief.

If the council fails to vote on a resolution, the sanctions would be automatically re-imposed. This procedure prevents any of the veto powers who negotiated the accord, such as Russia and China, from blocking any snap-back of Iran sanctions.

All the provisions and measures of the UN resolution would terminate in a decade if the nuclear deal is adhered to.

However, the six world powers and the EU wrote to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week to inform him that after 10 years, they plan to seek a five-year extension of the mechanism allowing sanctions to be re-imposed.

Separately, Germany and Iran will soon hold their first economic conference in a decade, Iran’s state-run news agency reported on Monday.

However, the top German official in a delegation visiting Tehran warned Iran that threatening Israel and not respecting human rights could damage these nascent economic efforts.

An IRNA news agency report quoted Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying the conference will be held in late summer or early fall. The last such event was held in 2002 before sanctions targeting Iran over its contested nuclear programme.

The announcement came after Mr Zanganeh met German economy minister Sigmar Gabriel in Tehran.

* Agencies