The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has welcomed a final deal on Iran’s nuclear programme. Long in the making, the agreement comes after 17 days of intensive negotiation between Iran and the P5 states plus Germany.
The deal follows more than a decade of tensions over claims by a number of countries that Iran’s nuclear programme has been a cover for the development of nuclear weapons. Iran has always insisted that this claim is false.
Under the details of the agreement, which runs to over 150 pages of text, Iran will accept restrictions on its nuclear programme but in return harsh economic sanctions will be eased.
CND’s General Secretary Kate Hudson said:
“The outcome of these negotiations shows what can be achieved through dialogue and negotiation, even in the face of intense opposition to any talks from some quarters. For over a decade we have heard voices urging attack against Iran over this precise issue. How fortunate for the region – and for all of us that these calls were resisted and a result has been achieved through peaceful methods.
“It is now crucial that repeated UN resolutions calling for a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in the Middle East are honoured and acted upon. The Israeli Prime Minister’s condemnation of this agreement is scandalous when you consider that Israel possesses the only nuclear arsenal in the region, completely outside of any UN inspections programme. The P5 should now exert its authority to secure an end to any nuclear weapons in this region.”