19 October 2015•Update: 28 October 2015
WASHINGTON
U.S. President Barack Obama announced Sunday the official “adoption” of the nuclear deal between P5+1 countries and Iran.
It marks the launch of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- as the deal is officially known -- after the end of a procedural 90-day period since the UN Security Council passed a resolution approving the deal on July 20.
The landmark agreement, signed on July 14, provides Tehran with economic relief from biting sanctions in exchange for unprecedented inspections and curbs on its nuclear program.
In practice, however, the “Adoption Day” does not mean an immediate sanctions relief. An "Implementation Day" will be the next milestone, signifying the achievement of concrete action by Iran.
Tehran must presumably wait until Dec. 15 for the removal of sanctions to begin, when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to issue a final report on its nuclear activities.
Obama said Sunday that the U.S. will not only prepare for the implementation of the deal but also work closely with IAEA and JCPOA participants to closely monitor Iran on whether it "fully fulfills each and every one of its commitments".
The president also expressed his confidence in the "peace and security of the world" the deal would bring, welcoming the Adoption Day as a "step forward".
Meanwhile, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif issues a joint statement on Sunday, stating: "Iran will now start the implementation of its nuclear-related commitments with the objective of full and effective completion. The IAEA will make the necessary preparations for the monitoring and verification of these steps.
"The joint commission foreseen under the JCPOA will now convene for its first meeting at the level of Political Directors on 19 October in Vienna, in order to further advance preparations for implementing the JCPOA," the joint statement added.
Iranian deputy foreign ministers Abbas Araqchi and Majid Ravanchi, and Iran's Atomic Energy Agency spokesman, Behrouz Kamalvandi, will arrive in Vienna on Monday to attend a joint commission meeting with representatives from P5+1 countries, according to Iranian Republic News Agency (IRNA).
The P5+1 countries Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States will meet in Vienna on Monday to form a commission to oversee the implementation of the agreement.
The Iranian parliament approved the deal last week on Oct. 13, only three days after Tehran tested a long-range ballistic missile, drawing the ire of the international community.
The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said last Friday that the move violated a UN Security Council resolution, declaring the surface-to-surface missile "inherently capable of delivering a nuclear weapon”.
On Thursday, France also described the test as "a clear violation" of the UN resolution, saying the move sent "a worrying message" to the international community.
