The Deal with Iran

• The deal as it stands brings in enhanced monitoring of Iran’s nuclear capability and rolls back elements of Iran’s enrichment programme resulting in a delaying and close supervision of any possible ‘breakout’ period in which Iran could race to a bomb. In return Iran gains a partial lifting of international sanctions.

• Debates over the Joint Plan of Action’s specifics have stressed the importance of intrusive inspections and fears over hidden elements to the Iranian programme.

• The Joint Action Plan also suggests potential points that would be dealt with in a comprehensive solution which, once fully implemented would see Iran rehabilitated as a normalised signatory of the Non-Proliferation treaty with a civil nuclear programme, though whether enrichment would be included remains a moot point.

• A variety of reactions have been noted from various states and commentators. The majority of reaction has been favourable.

• The deal signals important geopolitical shifts in the region that would benefit Iran and potentially lessen the importance of traditional allies in the Middle East: Israel and Saudi Arabia.