In late November 2013, six world powers (the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Russia and China) reached an interim agreement with Iran in regard to Iran’s much controversial nuclear program after three days of negotiations in Geneva. The agreement calls for Iran to limit certain nuclear activities for six month in return for relief from Western sanctions worth over $7 billion. Iran has been under enormous economic pressure lately due to Western sanctions. If Iran violates the agreement, sanctions can be reinstalled. Under the agreement, Iran agrees to stop uranium enrichment above five percent, dismantle technical capabilities to enrich over five percent and neutralize its stockpiles of 20 percent enriched uranium. The main concern with 20 percent enrich uranium is that it is considered as weapons grade.
The most important is the agreement opens a new path for world powers and the United Nations to start negotiations with Iran and further discussion are expected to continue into the future. As expected, Israel was quick to critic the interim agreement. Israel indicated that the agreement didn’t go far enough to stop uranium enrichment and declared that Israel is not bound by the agreement and prepared to protect its people.