Iran Nuclear Deal, What do we know so far

President Barack Obama said that the framework agreement announced Thursday between Iran and six world powers is a “good deal” that will increase Iran’s nuclear breakout time from around two to three months to more than a year.

After 18 months of drawn-out negotiations, the U.S. and its partners on Thursday arrived at an agreement on a framework for curbing Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Nuclear Materials:

Iran will hand over two-thirds of its 19,000 centrifuges to the International Atomic Energy Agency, leaving a total of 6,104 of its first-generation model centrifuge, with only 5,060 actually enriching uranium for the next 10 years. For the next 15 years, the Islamic Republic has agreed not to enrich any uranium above the level of 3.67 percentage of for a nuclear weapon. Of Iran’s approximately 10,000 kg supply of low-enriched uranium, which can be used for a reactor but not a bomb, it will retain only 300 kg for the next 15 years.

But the agreement did not specify how Iran will reduce its stockpile of Low Enriched Uranium. weather will Iran will ship it to another country such as Russia, or dilute it within its own country. 

Nuclear Facilities and Reactors:

Except for the nuclear facility Natanz, all the other nuclear facility will be removed within next 10 years. There, the 5,060 first-generation centrifuges that will be eliminated in next 10 years. Iran`s Nuclear facility at Fordow will lose nearly two-thirds of its centrifuges and none of the remaining centrifuges will be permitted to enrich uranium because Iran has agreed not to enrich Uranium at this facility however, this will be converted into underground research lab. 

Iran has agreed that its Facility at Ark will not be used and hence its heavy water core of the reactor designed to produce Plutonium, will be send out of the country. And this heavy water reactor will be redesigned for research and radioisotope production. Iran has agreed not to build any enrichment facility neither any heavy water reactor for the next  fifteen years. 

Inspections:

Under the deal, the State Department said that the IAEA will have ongoing access to each of Iran’s nuclear facilities and will oversee the Iranian nuclear program’s supply chain. All of the centrifuges and other infrastructure removed from Iran will be placed under IAEA control.The inspectors will also be able to inspect Iran’s uranium mines and mills for the next 25 years. Iran’s centrifuge manufacturing facilities will be frozen and remain under surveillance.

Additionally, Iran has agreed to allow the IAEA to investigate any allegations of secret sites for nuclear production, centrifuge production, or yellowcake production.

Sanctions

Sanction relief for Iran will depend on verification of its cooperation with the agreement, the State Department said.The U.S. and EU have agreed to suspend their sanctions upon IAEA verification. But U.S. officials say those sanctions can be reapplied. As Obama put it, “If Iran violates the deal, sanctions can be snapped back into place.”Upon Iran’s completion of its agreements about dismantling its program, all U.N. Security Council resolutions on the subject will be lifted.

Even after the nuclear deal’s provisions expire, Iran will continue to be a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which prohibits the procurement of a nuclear weapon.