(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The UN Security Council yesterday unanimously adopted a resolution, endorsing the deal on Iran's nuclear programme and cleared a path to lift sanctions crippling its economy.
It marks formal UN approval of the agreement reached between Tehran and the permanent members of the council, plus Germany.
The passing of the resolution sets in motion a gradual process - conditional on Iran abiding by the deal - that can terminate seven UN resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran since 2006.
The European Union also approved the deal, a first step towards lifting Europe's economic sanctions against Tehran the bloc hopes will send a signal that the US Congress will follow.
US President Barack Obama welcomed the resolution and said he expected a hostile Congress to "pay attention" to the broad consensus behind the deal. He hoped the resolution would "send a clear message that the overwhelming number of countries" recognise that diplomacy is "by far our strongest approach to ensuring that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon".
In the council, ambassadors said the years of hard work on Iran should become a blueprint for how the world deals with other crises such as in Syria and Yemen.
Iranian Ambassador Golamali Khoshroo told the council that Tehran was ready "to engage in good faith" with its neighbours in the region. But the deal has been rejected by Israel and some countries in the Middle East have raised concern that it will strengthen Iranian influence in the region. Agencies
Signals from Iran contradictory: GCC
Riyadh: The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) protested at what it termed "contradictory" signals from Iran since its nuclear accord.
GCC chief Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani said Iranian President Hassan Rowhani was offering to turn a "new page" with Arab neighbours while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had pledged to keep up support for Shia opposition groups. Such messages sent out "contradictory" signals," Al Zayani said in a statement, adding Khamenei's comments amounted to "unacceptable interference" in the affairs of Arab states.
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