The USA and other world powers announced today an agreement they describe as a “first step” toward preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
1. Uranium enrichment: Iran agrees to stop producing medium enriched uranium, which represents 90% of the effort to produce weapons grade material, and stop developing new fuel production machines, called centrifuges, which can produce fuel for a nuclear weapon.
2. Heavy water reactor in Arak: Iran agrees not to install critical components or fuel at its heavy water reactor in Arak, which could produce enough plutonium for two nuclear weapons a year.
3. Stockpiles: Iran agrees to neutralize its medium enriched nuclear fuel. Iran cannot expand its stockpile of low enriched uranium, which is now enough to produce at least four nuclear weapons.
4. Safeguards: The deal provides for daily visits by international inspectors to Iran’s uranium enrichment sites in Natanz and Fordow.
5. Sanctions: In return, Western powers have agreed not to impose new nuclear-related sanctions for six months, if Iran abides by its commitments, and to give Iran about $7 billion in relief on oil, gold, auto exports and educational cash reserves.
Source: usatoday