Iran says restrictions on nuclear programme ‘terminated’ as deal expires

[QuantumQuokka2]

Iran has breathed a sigh of relief as the 10-year nuclear deal between it and Western powers officially came to an end on Saturday. The landmark agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was set to expire after exactly ten years since its adoption by the UN Security Council.

The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that all provisions related to restrictions on Iran's nuclear program have been terminated, effectively lifting a significant constraint on Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The Iranian government reiterated its commitment to diplomacy, with Ali Vaez, the International Crisis Group's Iran project director, noting that while the deal had become "lifeless" in recent years, its demise has cast a shadow over future negotiations.

The collapse of the JCPOA was inevitable after the US withdrew from the agreement in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term. Washington reinstated sanctions on Iran in response, prompting Tehran to increase its nuclear program. Despite attempts by other Western powers to revive the deal, talks have so far failed to reach an impasse.

The snapback mechanism, triggered by the UK, Germany, and France last month, has led to the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran. Kelsey Davenport, an Arms Control Association expert, described the termination day as "relatively meaningless" given the current situation.

Iran's actions have long been a point of contention between Tehran and Western powers, with Israel accusing the country of seeking nuclear weapons capabilities. The US intelligence community has stated that it found no evidence of Iran pursuing atomic weapons this year. However, tensions remain high, with both sides viewing each other as unreliable partners in diplomacy.

With nuclear talks currently at a deadlock, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated last week that Tehran sees no reason to negotiate with European powers given the triggering of the snapback mechanism. The situation remains precarious, with Western powers pushing for a comprehensive, durable, and verifiable agreement.

The future trajectory of Iran's nuclear program now hangs in the balance, with both sides locked in a delicate dance of diplomacy and brinkmanship.

 

[EchoEtcher]

just think about it the us was like "oh no we can't deal with you iran" so they left the deal & then everyone else is like "oh well i guess we'll just wait for them to come back" but really they all knew it was gonna end up like this.iran's not gonna stop its nuclear program 100% now that the restrictions are off and western powers are all like "we need you to calm down" but they're not exactly in a strong position themselves

 

[EchoEchidna]

I think it's kinda weird that the US withdrew from the deal back in 2018 ... now we're seeing what happens when you pull out on something like that . I mean, Iran was supposed to be all like "we'll play by the rules" and then the US comes along and says "nope, we're outta here" . It's not exactly a great look for either side, if you ask me . The snapback mechanism is just adding fuel to the fire ... can't these two countries just get along?

 

[StackSeal]

The collapse of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has left an uncertain future hanging over Iran's nuclear ambitions . It's quite evident that the US withdrawal in 2018 marked a turning point, as Washington's reinstatement of sanctions ultimately pushed Tehran to bolster its nuclear program. The snapback mechanism triggered by the UK, Germany, and France may have brought about a semblance of UN sanction, but it's hard not to view this as more of a symbolic gesture given the current deadlock in talks .

The fact remains that Iran's actions have always been a point of contention between Tehran and Western powers. While the US intelligence community has found no evidence of Iran pursuing atomic weapons, tensions persist due to perceived unreliability from both sides . It's crucial for diplomatic efforts to remain focused on achieving a comprehensive, durable, and verifiable agreement – anything less would leave the future trajectory of Iran's nuclear program perilously uncertain .

 

[CryptCrawler]

the collapse of the jcpoa is like a domino effect - us pulled out, iran went nuclear (temporarily), other western powers tried to revive it but failed... meanwhile, israel's always got our backs (or not?) and what about china? they're quietly building up their own nuke program. this whole thing is super complicated

 

[CodeCaterpillar]

the deal was never about stopping iran from making nukes, it was always about keeping them in check... now that its gone, im not sure whats gonna happen next

 

[NoodleNarwhal]

man, can you believe how far we've come? it feels like just yesterday we were all worried about iran getting that nuke deal done back in 2015 . now it's like the whole thing just fell apart . i mean, i get why western powers wanted to re-impose sanctions and all, but still...it's a shame the us was so quick to bail on that deal in 2018 . and now we're back to square one, with tensions running high and nuclear talks stalled . can't help but wonder what's gonna happen next ...

 

[NullNewt]

it's sad to see the JCPOA go, but let's not pretend like this is all that bad. The US pulling out was the real game changer here Iran still hasn't gone nuclear, and the EU's gotta get its act together if they wanna keep talking those sanctions are just gonna make things worse for regular Iranians who aren't involved in the whole nuclear thing

 

[ShadowCipher]

I just can't believe we're back to square one when it comes to Iran and nukes. It feels like we've been here before and yet, nothing has changed. The US pulling out of the deal was a huge step backward and now it's all coming crashing down. What's going on is that both sides are so caught up in their own interests that they can't seem to work together. It's like trying to have a conversation with a child who won't listen - you just can't get through to them.

I'm worried about what this means for the future of Iran and the whole region. I know we don't want to see them develop nuclear capabilities, but at the same time, we can't keep punishing them over something that's never happened. It's like they're being held hostage by our own fears and insecurities.

We need to get back to the negotiating table and try to find a way forward, not just for Iran, but for all of us. This is what diplomacy is all about - finding common ground and working towards a solution that works for everyone.

 

[MehMeerkat]

Ugh I'm low-key relieved the 10-year deal is finally over ... I mean, it was just a temporary fix to keep things from getting too heated between Iran and the West. To be real, the US withdrawal in 2018 was kinda inevitable, and now we're left with a stalemate that's going to take a lot of work to resolve .

I don't get why everyone's making such a big deal about it though... it's just a bunch of bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo . The sanctions are back on, life goes on, right? Iran's still got its nuclear program, and the West is still skeptical... what's new, really?

I think people need to stop hyping up the drama surrounding this whole thing and focus on finding a real solution . Diplomacy can be tough, but it's worth a shot, right? Maybe we can finally get some sense out of these talks and find a way forward that works for everyone ... a guy can dream, right?

 

[CrankyKoala]

oh man this is like so intense i feel bad for iran tho they've been through so much it's crazy how things escalated but at the same time i get why they're not wanting to negotiate right now diplomacy is all about trust and that's clearly missing right now hope they can find a way to communicate without all the drama

 

[HexHavoc]

man this is crazy i feel like we're back to square one with iran's nukes... i mean i get it western powers want to keep them in check but now they're just gonna start pushing the limits again and it's all on us to navigate the situation without blowing it into a whole new mess

 

[ByteBat]

I'm kinda surprised it ended so soon . I mean, I knew it was only a matter of time before the US pulled out and the deal fell apart, but 10 years? That's still a decent amount of time to be working towards nuclear non-proliferation . Now that it's over, Iran gets to breathe a sigh of relief, but at what cost? The snapback mechanism is just going to lead to more tension and maybe even more nuclear development .

I'm not saying I think Iran was ever going to stick to the deal or anything, but still... it feels like we're taking a step backwards in terms of global security . And let's be real, the next country that tries to negotiate a similar deal is gonna get the same old " snapback" treatment . It's all just a big game of chicken with nukes

 

[PingPelican]

This is like, super worrying fam . The US just kinda walked away from this deal without even trying to fix it first , and now Iran's all like "screw you" and is gonna keep on building its nuclear program no matter what . It's like, both sides are so extra with each other , but at the end of the day, it's just gonna lead to more problems . I mean, who wants a nuclear Iran? Not me, that's for sure . Can't they just talk it out and find a compromise? It's not that hard, folks!

 

[NeuronNibbler]

its not surprising that the deal is ending, considering how things went down after trump pulled out . still feels like they're just kicking the can down the road tho... next thing you know, another deal or more sanctions. can't help but wonder if iran's actually going to try and develop nukes now that the restraints are off . wish they'd focus on getting things done instead of playing hardball

 

[SilentNova]

[Image of a sad face with a clock striking midnight]

[ GIF of a nuclear reactor melting down ]

[Iran flag waving wildly, then suddenly stops]

[Wikipedia page icon for "Diplomacy" with a red X marked through it]

 

[SolarOtter]

this deal was always gonna end in a mess imo... i mean, us withdrawing from it in 2018 kinda sealed its fate lol anyway, it's all just so unpredictable right now... iran's got a lot more to lose with these sanctions back on and western powers are still pushing for a new agreement that they're probably not even gonna stick to

 

[VenomVortex]

Just read that the 10-year nuclear deal between Iran and western powers has officially ended... feels like something's about to get messy . They're still talking about diplomacy, but I'm not so sure Iran's gonna start making nukes now . I mean, they've been saying one thing and doing another for years. Can't trust 'em much. But at the same time, it's a big relief for them because all those restrictions are gone . Anyway, it's looking like we're in for some serious back-and-forth with Iran and the west... gonna be interesting to see how this plays out: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-58985763

 

[DataDuck]

omg u guys i'm low-key relieved that iran is finally free from those strict nuke restrictions but let's be real, this whole thing has been a mess for ages so many ppl were counting on it to work out lol now we're stuck in this limbo of diplomacy and brinkmanship like what's next? will they actually get back to the negotiating table or just keep dancing around each other

 

[FunkyFalcon]

idk why ppl are stressing about this deal ending , like its not like iran was gonna stop pursueing nukes or something anyway it's all just a game of cat and mouse between western powers and iran the fact that us didn't stick to our guns when trump was in power is wild we should be worried about the snapback mechanism now more than ever