EU backs under-fire Iran nuclear deal

Why in News?

• European Union has urged U.S. to endorse a key nuclear agreement with Iran.

News Summary

• According to EU, this nuclear deal is essential for international security.
• The foreign ministers of various countries like Britain, France, Germany are supporting the deal which will limit Iran’s nuclear ambitions and even Islamic republic is reciprocating in a positive manner.

Background

• Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2015.
• After the deal was signed, U. S President had waived off the nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran’s central bank.
• But the new U.S. President  has slammed the Iran -U.S. nuclear deal and said that the deal would be revisited.

Iran nuclear deal

• The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal is an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program signed in 2015.
• It was a deal negotiated among Germany, the five permanent UN Security Council members (China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S) and the European Union.
• The agreement was to curb Iran’s nuclear program in lieu of removing some economic sanctions imposed on it earlier.

Major provisions of the deal

1. Natanz will be the only Iranian facility allowed to carry out nuclear enrichment.
2. The deep underground Fordow uranium enrichment site will be converted into a nuclear research facility.
3. Iran will be allowed to continue Uranium Enrichment in limited amounts with all spent fuel shipped out of the country.
4. The Arak heavy water reactor of Iran, which is under construction, will be redesigned so that no Plutonium is produced at this site. There will not be any reprocessing.
5. All sites would come under the heavy inspection of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
6. The U.N embargo for transfer of weapon will continue and similarly U.N restriction for transfer of ballistic missile will continue for five more years. 
7. U.S. will not have any trade in arms with the Iran due to its fear that it can be used against U.S. allies in the west Asia.

• Iran has agreed to snap-back according to which if Iran doesn't go on these provisions, sanctions will be imposed again.