The Comprehensive Agreement on Iran's nuclear program has finally been reached. It will take effect 90 days after its approval by the UN Security Council. After the entry into force of the agreement, Tehran should have access to more than 100 billion dollars of frozen assets. The agreement provides for the abolition of the EU sanctions relating to banking, insurance and the SWIFT payment system. In addition, the EU will be able to import Iranian oil, gas, gasoline and petrochemical products. At the same time, the export of equipment for the production of hydrocarbons is allowed to Iran. "But everything will depend on coagulation by Tehran of its program, which should confirm the IAEA. There is evidence that the agreement between Iran and the 'Six' international mediators leaves an opportunity for renewal of sanctions against the country within 65 days if Tehran violates the deal. The United States also wants to uphold the sanctions against Iran in connection with their violations of human rights.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov states that "any disputes and roughness that may arise during the implementation of the joint comprehensive action plan will be subject to peer review of the established joint commission with the participation of the 'Six' and Iran and the EU, and only in the most extreme cases can be transferred to the UN Security Council." The relevant provisions are contained in the "Dispute Settlement Mechanism" in the main text of the agreement.
Experts say that, sooner or later, the sanctions against Tehran will be lifted, and then the country will return to the global economy that will change both the economic situation in Iran and increase its political status. Whether this will be beneficial for Moscow is not clear. Many fear the increased competition in the hydrocarbons market. However, this and other questions can be negotiated.
As the head of the Duma's International Affairs Committee, Alexei Pushkov, stated: "In the course of contacts with the Iranian parliamentarians we discuss the totality of the issues that exist between Russia and Iran, like bilateral relations and economic cooperation, trade issues. Certainly the issues of regional security, the situation in Syria, the need to counter Islamic State. We do not have taboos. The contacts that we had twice with the Iranian side during the visit of the chairman of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin to Tehran, and during the visit of [chairman of the committee on national security and foreign policy of the Iranian Majlis Alaeddin] Boroujerdi to Moscow, we discussed a wide range of issues, and productivity is the key to our relationship. We intend to develop them in that way."
Tehran holds similar positions. "Iran always remembers its friends. And Russia has always been a friend of Iran during hard times. And as soon as sanctions are lifted, we will concentrate on working with our friends, with Russia, which is not only our neighbor, but also a strategic partner," media quotes the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying. He stressed that Iran and Russia share common values, and expressed the hope that the lifting of sanctions will remove a number of barriers in the interaction between Iranian, Russian and Chinese companies.
