Overview of 2015 Iran nuclear deal as agreement threatens to crumble
Arirang News
2019-07-09
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Now, with U.S.-Iran tensions at new heights, some experts say a conflict could break out at any time.
So what exactly is this 2015 nuclear deal that has led to the tug-of-war between Washington and Tehran?
Our Kim Da-mi explains.
It all dates back to the summer of 2015 when Iran agreed to a long-term deal on its nuclear program with world powers, including the U.S., the UK, France and Germany.
With Iran's alleged efforts to develop a nuclear weapon, the international community decided it had to act.
Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities,... such as slashing its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98 percent.
Enriched uranium is used to make fuel for nuclear reactors,...but is also used in nuclear weapons.
Iran also promised to keep enrichment levels at around four percent until 2030.
By January 2016, Iran did drastically reduce the number of centrifuges installed at its two main facilities Natanz and Fordo.
The International Atomic Energy Agency also had regular access to all Iranian nuclear facilities,... monitoring Tehran's compliance with the deal.
At the time of the agreement, the then-Obama administration believed the agreement would prevent Iran from secretly developing a nuclear weapon.
By the end of 2015, the IAEA ended its decade-long investigation monitoring Iran's nuclear program, concluding there were "no credible indications" of weapons development.
Instead, an agreement to continue a UN arms embargo on the country for up to five years and to uphold a UN ban on the import of ballistic missile technology for up to eight years was added to the deal.
But in May 2018, the situation changed dramatically when the Trump administration abandoned the deal, saying Iran had not disclosed a past covert nuclear weapons program to the IAEA.
U.S. President Donald Trump reinstated crushing sanctions last November, targeting both Iran and any countries that trade with it.
Iran's economy felt the effect almost immediately, its currency rapidly shed value and inflation soared.
And now, with Iran reacting to U.S. pressure by suspending its commitment to the deal by exceeding its previously-agreed enrichment level,... and vowing to keep raising it every 60 days,... Washington-Tehran tensions look set to worsen before they get any better.
Kim Da-mi, Arirang News.
So what exactly is this 2015 nuclear deal that has led to the tug-of-war between Washington and Tehran?
Our Kim Da-mi explains.
It all dates back to the summer of 2015 when Iran agreed to a long-term deal on its nuclear program with world powers, including the U.S., the UK, France and Germany.
With Iran's alleged efforts to develop a nuclear weapon, the international community decided it had to act.
Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities,... such as slashing its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98 percent.
Enriched uranium is used to make fuel for nuclear reactors,...but is also used in nuclear weapons.
Iran also promised to keep enrichment levels at around four percent until 2030.
By January 2016, Iran did drastically reduce the number of centrifuges installed at its two main facilities Natanz and Fordo.
The International Atomic Energy Agency also had regular access to all Iranian nuclear facilities,... monitoring Tehran's compliance with the deal.
At the time of the agreement, the then-Obama administration believed the agreement would prevent Iran from secretly developing a nuclear weapon.
By the end of 2015, the IAEA ended its decade-long investigation monitoring Iran's nuclear program, concluding there were "no credible indications" of weapons development.
Instead, an agreement to continue a UN arms embargo on the country for up to five years and to uphold a UN ban on the import of ballistic missile technology for up to eight years was added to the deal.
But in May 2018, the situation changed dramatically when the Trump administration abandoned the deal, saying Iran had not disclosed a past covert nuclear weapons program to the IAEA.
U.S. President Donald Trump reinstated crushing sanctions last November, targeting both Iran and any countries that trade with it.
Iran's economy felt the effect almost immediately, its currency rapidly shed value and inflation soared.
And now, with Iran reacting to U.S. pressure by suspending its commitment to the deal by exceeding its previously-agreed enrichment level,... and vowing to keep raising it every 60 days,... Washington-Tehran tensions look set to worsen before they get any better.
Kim Da-mi, Arirang News.
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