Geneva deal on Iranian nuclear program makes "important first step": British PM

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Geneva deal on Iranian nuclear program makes "important first step": British PM

(Xinhua) 08:16, November 25, 2013

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LONDON, Nov. 24 -- British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday that the agreement reached on Iran's nuclear program in Geneva is "an important first step".

Commenting on the deal with Iran, Cameron said: "We now have an international agreement with Iran that moves it further away from getting a nuclear weapon."

"This is an important first step, which must now be fully implemented," he said.

After days of intensive negotiations, Iran and six world major countries, Britain, France, Russia, China, the United States and Germany (P5+1), have reached a first-step agreement on Iran's nuclear program, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced early Sunday morning.

Cameron said "We will continue to enforce sanctions robustly in order to secure a comprehensive and final settlement that fully addresses the real and substantive concerns of the international community."

"Today's deal with Iran demonstrates how persistent diplomacy and tough sanctions can together help us to advance our national interest," he added.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed the deal as an important moment in international relations with Iran and in efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.

In an interviews with Sky News earlier Sunday morning from Geneva, Hague said: "This is an important moment; an encouraging moment, in our relations with Iran, and in our efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation in the world."

"This is the first time there has been an international agreement with Iran about its nuclear program."

According to a statement on the British government website, the foreign secretary also spoke about the implications of Sunday's agreement, including on sanctions.

"There will be some relief from sanctions for Iran; proportionate and limited relief from sanctions. But that will involve the unfreezing of some assets - in particular by the United States; the lifting of the suspension of some sanctions on items like petrochemicals and on gold and precious metals."

At the same time, the foreign secretary is concerned of making sure the agreement is fully implemented, adding that Britain and its partners would implement the agreement in good faith. He hoped that Iran would also implement it in good faith.

"And then there is the whole issue of a comprehensive and final settlement, one in which, as I say, the world can be sure that the development of a nuclear program in Iran is for peaceful nuclear energy in the future, and in which all sanctions are lifted," he said.