The historic nuclear deal

with Iran: How it works

Object 1

Iran has finally reached a nuclear deal with the U.S. and international partners. Here's
what's in the deal, and what happens next. (Gillian Brockell and Julio C. Negron/The
Washington Post)

By Ishaan Tharoor-July 14

After more than two weeks of wrangling and missed deadlines in Vienna, Iran and
its international interlocutors have finally clinched a historic accord over Tehran's
nuclear program. The diplomacy with Iran, which throughout has had its vociferous
opponents, was aimed at curbing the Islamic Republic's ability to produce a nuclear
weapon. A tentative framework was inked in April between Iran and its negotiating
partners, which include the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China and
Germany.
[Why it was so difficult to reach a deal.]
The deal's proponents argue that talks have yielded the best guarantee possible that
Iran won't be able to move toward nuclear weapons, while also, for the time being,
reducing the risk of yet another military escalation in the Middle East.
"This deal offers an opportunity to move in a new direction. We should seize it,"

President Obama said Tuesday.

Here's a guide to how it works.
Extending the breakout time
The main benchmark by which analysts gauge Iran's ability to produce an atomic
bomb is the "breakout" time -- the time needed for Iran to produce enough
weapons-grade enriched uranium for one nuclear bomb. It's currently estimated at
around a couple months; under the terms of the deal, that frame has been extended
to at least one year.
The implication here is key: One year gives world powers enough time to mobilize
action to interrupt Iran's pathway to a bomb. The extended breakout
time also presents in its own right a strategic obstacle to Iran's leadership, raising
the stakes if it ever considered rushing toward building a nuclear arsenal. To be
sure, Tehran has always insisted that it has no interest in obtaining a nuclear
weapon, but its covert activities in the past raised the world's suspicions and led to
a tough series of international trade, banking and financial sanctions.
[Full text of the Iran nuclear deal]
Iran's nuclear facilities
The deal focuses on limiting Iran's ability to produce and maintain the fissile
material needed to build nuclear weapons. Along the lines of the April agreement,
Iran will cut its current number of centrifuges -- the devices used to enrich uranium
gas -- from 19,000 to 6,000. Its stockpile of enriched uranium will be reduced from
about 10,000 kilograms to 300.

The heavy-water reactor at Arak will be reengineered so that it can't produce spent
fuel at levels that could be made into weapons-grade plutonium. Its existing spent

fuel will be shipped out of the country. Iran has committed to not building another
similar reactor for the next 15 years.
Uranium enrichment at the underground facility in Fordow -- a concern because
some outside observers believe it would be difficult to hit with an airstrike -- will be
strictly curbed. Iran will be prevented from bringing fissile material into the site
over the next 15 years; Fordow will lose more than half of its 2,800 centrifuges and
be converted into a nuclear physics research center.

Object 2

Iran and six major powers have reached a landmark deal to curb Tehran's nuclear
program. Iran's Foreign Secretary says it represents a new chapter of hope. (Reuters)

Inspections and enforcement

In all these instances, the deal outlines tight guidelines for monitoring and
verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
IAEA inspectors will be granted regular access to all these major nuclear sites and
monitor the country's nuclear infrastructure, from its uranium mills to centrifuge
storage facilities, for up to 25 years.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz unpacks how access will be guaranteed at Iran's
most sensitive sites:
According to the agreement, UN inspectors will be able to enter any
suspect facility in Iran within a maximum period of 24 days. Iran will be

able to present reservations to the IAEA's requests to visit suspicious

facilities. In such cases, a special arbitration committee will be established
to make a decision. The committee will include representatives of the six
world powers, Iran and the European Union. Iran will be in the minority,
with only Russia and China holding positions close to Tehran's.
Sanctions
The deal, in the next week to 10 days, will be sent to the U.N. Security Council -Iran's negotiating partners included all five permanent members of the Security
Council plus Germany. There, it will be codified by a new resolution once the IAEA
certifies that Iran has stuck to its commitments regarding its enrichment
capabilities.
This will lead to the Security Council dropping its wide-reaching sanctions on the
Iranian regime, which have crippled the country's economy. If it violates any terms
of the deal, sanctions could be snapped back on Tehran within 65 days.
Separately, a U.N. embargo on conventional weapons sales will be lifted within five
years, a ban on missile sales to Iran within eight years. In the last few heated days
of talks, this particular element of the dispute appeared to be the most intractable,
with Russia pushing aggressively for an end to the arms embargo, but it appears
both sides have met half way.
Oil prices have already dropped at the prospect of the Iran's huge petroleum
industry returning to the fold.
... and how it doesn't work
Critics of the deal, from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Republican
hawks in Washington, warn that, contrary to the Obama administration's talking
points, it gives Iran a ticket to becoming a nuclear superpower. These claims are
somewhat undermined by the many tough provisions within the deal.

For opponents, though, the issue lies less in the technical details and mechanisms
negotiated in Vienna and more in Iran's track record in the region. Since 1979, the
Islamic Republic has been an avowed enemy of the United States and its interests,
and has supported proxy militias across the Middle East, including some groups
deemed terrorist organizations.
The Obama administration has been clear that the goal of the negotiations was to
place ironclad controls on Iran's nuclear program -- not fundamentally change the
regime's outlook or policy.

"Tough talk from Washington does not solve problems," Obama said. "Hard-nosed
diplomacy, leadership that has united the world's major powers offers a more
effective way to verify that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon."

Object 3

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu predicted the nuclear agreement with Iran
would allow the country to continue seeking nuclear weapons. (Reuters)
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