Baku, April 3, AZERTAC

After eight days of marathon talks in Switzerland, Iran and six world powers have reached a breakthrough framework agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme.

It has been agreed that more than two thirds of Iran’s enrichment capacity will be decommisioned and monitored for 10 years if the parties can reach a comprehensive agreement by June 30.

If there is a final deal, Tehran would ship abroad most of its enriched uranium stocks.

Different restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme would continue for a quarter century. In return for compliance, international sanctions will be gradually lifted.

Iran’s president said that drafting the comprehensive agreement would start immediately.

According to the statement, Iran would agree to sign up to limits and monitoring of its nuclear enrichment programme for a period of up to 25 years. In the first 10 years, more than two-thirds of the current enrichment capacity must be decommissioned, and over 95 percent of its enriched uranium diluted or exported.

All of Iran’s nuclear activities would be subject to the “strictest oversight” by the UN’s nuclear watchdog. The agreed regime was “unprecedented in its intensity and duration”, the statement said.